The co-founder of Home Depot has sparked outrage after claiming that he will donate funds to President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign for 2020, prompting the hashtag #BoycottHomeDepot.
Bernie Marcus, who had also donated to the president’s 2016 campaign, recently told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he would donate again this year.
He said even though he believes the president “sucks” at communication, he has done well in generating jobs, addressing China about trade, and taking steps regarding policies with North Korea and Iran.
But Twitter users aren’t happy about it. The AJC article was published on June 30, and on Monday evening, #BoycottHomeDepot was trending on Twitter.
If you plan on buying a hammer, wood, or ANY home improvement items from Home Depot, you may as well send donations DIRECTLY to trump’s 2020 campaign.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) July 9, 2019
No more, @HomeDepot.#BoycottHomeDepot
https://t.co/KCsOg5LELQ
My local HomeDepot was 2nd on my list of most visited stores behind Target. Third was IKEA (still suffering flashbacks from that)
— Pam Keith, Esq. (@PamKeithFL) July 9, 2019
I’ve refurbished several homes (fixer-uppers)&have spent ridiculous amounts in HD. I regret it now. Lowe’s, here I come.#BoycottHomeDepot
https://twitter.com/thekjohnston/status/1148443531477786625
https://twitter.com/joanne_candice/status/1148581852850118657
No. Because in case you didn’t understand us the first time – we are boycotting Home Depot and going to other hardware stores. Try to keep up Nicky.
— PROTECT THE VOTE! (@frontiergirl23) July 9, 2019
Too bad they don’t sell white sheets 👀 , right?
— Matt Villalobos (@mattmcvilla) July 9, 2019
https://twitter.com/MahmoudAMahmou/status/1148585883320422400
Many tweeted about taking their business to Home Depot competitor, Lowe’s.
https://twitter.com/azmattaz06/status/1148388020980203521
Lowes social media team after creating the #BoycottHomeDepot trend pic.twitter.com/kOFW5lPPVT
— notorious D.O.C (@basicallydoc) July 9, 2019
@HomeDepot I will never shop at your store again. @Lowes all the way. #BoycottHomeDepot #BoycottHomeDepot for their racist xenophobic owner giving money to reelect a traitor to this country!
— JustExceptReality 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇹🇮🇪🇨🇵🇺🇳 (@dacapm01) July 9, 2019
But that might be disappointing news to them as well, since Lowe’s made significantly higher donations to Republicans in 2016 than to Democrats, according to OpenSecrets.
People are taking more direct action against organizations that are associated with the president’s policies such as hosting migrant children in crowded facilities. Wayfair employees recently staged a walkout as the company was profiting off selling beds to migrant children detention centers.
The Atlanta billionaire, however, retired from Home Depot in 2002, which many pointed out on Twitter as well. But he’s remained a staunch Republican supporter and donated $7 million to Trump’s 2016 election campaign, according to Business Insider. He’s also reportedly made his political stance more vocal over the years; he told Fox News that Democrats “don’t have any brains” in a discussion about Trump’s tax cuts.
He told the AJC that most of his donations, however, have gone to philanthropic causes over political ones, though he plans to donate more to political causes in the future. Marcus’ other causes include an autism center, trauma center, stroke and neuroscience center, and the Georgia Aquarium.
Update 1:10pm CT, July 9: “Bernie retired from The Home Depot more than 15 years ago and isn’t speaking on behalf of the company. In fact, as a standard practice, the company does not endorse Presidential candidates,” a Home Depot spokesperson told the Daily Dot via email.
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