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Trump calls for boycott of Goodyear for banning MAGA hats as part of its policy on political attire

The company's policy of political attires only supports Black Lives Matter and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride

President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, August 19, called for a boycott of an American company, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co (GT.O), accusing them of banning his 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) campaign hats. Trump, on Twitter, wrote: "Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES - They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!)."

Trump's tweet came shortly after a report on an NBC affiliate's website in Wisconsin about a Goodyear training session in Ohio concerning political attire. During the training session, a slide reportedly unveiled the company's new "zero-tolerance" policy against MAGA attire, "Blue Lives Matter," "All Lives Matter," and others. 

A picture of the training slide was shared on social media and broadcast at WIBW-TV in Topeka. The outlet reported that the company's policy of political attires only supports Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride (LGBT), while prohibiting the use of political affiliated slogans or material, including Blue Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, MAGA attire. 

The slide was presented at the company's Topeka plant, according to the outlet. An employee of the company, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the station: "If someone wants to wear a BLM shirt in here, then cool. I'm not going to get offended about it. But at the same time, if someone's not going to be able to wear something that is politically based, even in the farthest stretch of the imagination, that's discriminatory."

"If we're talking about equality, then it needs to be equality," the employee added. "If not, it's discrimination."

Shortly after the president called for a boycott of the company, many social media users slammed him, suggesting his call for boycott was illegal. One user wrote: "You are being unconstitutional yet again. Organizations have the right to their policies, free speech protects them from tyrants like you interfering in their business."

While another stated: "It’s the president actively participating in the failure of an American business because they banned his MAGA hats from their stores. He may have crossed a legal line."

"Tens of thousands of Americans are employed by GOODYEAR, many, if not most of those folks live in states you’re trying to “win” in November. So, this Liddle middle finger to the company that puts food on their tables, isn’t gonna go over especially well in say, Ohio or Florida," a third added.

A spokesperson for Goodyear also released a statement, telling TheBlaze: "Goodyear is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace where all of our associates can do their best in a spirit of teamwork. As part of this commitment, we do allow our associates to express their support on racial injustice and other equity issues but ask that they refrain from workplace expressions, verbal or otherwise, in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party as well as other similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of equity issues."