New Balance Athletic Inc. has seen a social media backlash after vice-president of public affairs Matthew LeBretton said in a Wall Street Journal interview that they think things will “move in the right direction” under the impending presidency of Donald Trump.
The sneaker company found common grounds with President-elect Trump via his outspoken opposition to Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement while on the campaign trail. New Balance has been a long-time opponent of TPP and welcomed the election of Trump as a commute from President Barack Obama’s policies. New Balance opposes TPP because the company feels the agreement will cause a negative impact on its business.
“The Obama administration turned a deaf ear to us and frankly, with President-elect Trump, we feel things are going to move in the right direction,” LeBretton said in an interview last week.
The comments sparked a backlash on social media, with hundreds of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram users throwing out their sneakers, setting shoes on fire and throwing the shoes in the garbage.
@SoleCollector @newbalance pic.twitter.com/r3j6sXsdAP
— Jon Targaryen (@tbrooks__) November 10, 2016
@SoleCollector @newbalance pic.twitter.com/6dROPnmYdm
— Jean Ralphio (@MMArtinitus) November 10, 2016
@MMArtinitus @tabgirl @SoleCollector @newbalance pic.twitter.com/RqATjNBalu
— kiemzi (@kiemzi) November 10, 2016
@SoleCollector @newbalance pic.twitter.com/HO6FWKNTjc
— Gildan King (@jaredgreenberg3) November 10, 2016
.@SoleCollector @newbalance pic.twitter.com/9AFPnw6doF
— M.A. Fortin 📎 (@SeniorTeenager) November 10, 2016
@SoleCollector @newbalance good to know. I made a little bonfire tonight 🙂 pic.twitter.com/yOdCTbQgac
— skreetware (@milftears) November 10, 2016
