Nike, Adidas, and Puma React to Trump's Immigration Ban

Normally, Nike, Adidas, and Puma are major competitors. But these times are anything but normal, and on Wednesday, all three footwear giants appeared united against one stated enemy: President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily banning visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries.

“Nike believes in a world where everyone celebrates the power of diversity,” Parker wrote in a powerful Sunday memo to employees. “Regardless of whether or how you worship, where you come from or who you love, everyone’s individual experience is what makes us stronger as a whole.”

He added, “Those values are being threatened by the recent executive order in the U.S. banning refugees, as well as visitors, from seven Muslim-majority countries. This is a policy we don’t support.” He said he was inspired by the story of Nike-sponsored athlete Mo Farah, a British citizen born in Somalia — one of the countries singled out in Trump’s order — training in Ethiopia and worried he may not be able to return to his training camp in Portland, Ore.

Next came a statement from Adidas, on Monday, which noted, “Sport has shown in the past and will show over and over again in the future that it can bring people together from all over the world — regardless of their nationality, gender, age, religion or sexual orientation. We at Adidas are proud to bring this positive power of sport to life every day at work and we cherish the diverse, international workforce we have around the globe. Some companies have already voiced their concerns about this decision and we join them in their call for an open and diverse society and culture in the U.S. and around the globe. It goes without saying that our commitment to the U.S. market and our people in America remains unchanged despite this current political climate.”

Puma’s support — which came in the form two tweets by Francois-Henri Pinault, the chief executive and chairman of Kering, which has a majority stake in the athletic-wear brand — was more vague. “At a time when diversity is at stake, I want to reaffirm how crucial this value is to me and to Kering,” wrote Pinault, adding his name at the end. He followed it with, “Diversity of origin, opinion and belief is part of our identity and our success.” (Other labels owned by Kering include Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Stella McCartney.)

The trio of seemingly anti-Trump sneaker statements was in sharp contrast to what the public was hearing from New Balance immediately following the November election. That’s when the athletic brand became one of the first international companies to welcome Trump’s win, with a spokesperson referring to policies of the Trans-Pacific Partnership by noting, “with President-Elect Trump we feel things are going to move in the right direction.”

Days later, a white supremacist site, The Daily Stormer, published an article calling New Balance the “official shoes of white people” and the “official brand of the Trump Revolution,” prompting New Balance to release a statement affirming the company “does not tolerate bigotry or hate in any form.” Still, a rash of angry folks posted photos to social media of their New Balance sneakers either in the trash or on fire, which in turn had Reebok tweeting offers of new kicks to those who now found themselves in need.

Of course, athletic footwear is always rife with controversy, as some did not fail to point out on Twitter this week.

Stay tuned for more sneaker politics, all but assured with Trump’s controversial border tax…

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