The Business Roundtable, the Washington-based association of CEOs from America’s largest corporations, announced today that an adamant critic of President-elect Donald J. Trump, Joshua B. Bolten, is taking over as the group’s chief executive officer, signaling that Big Business is poised to oppose Trump and his agenda.
“This organization has a long history of strong advocacy for the business community and in particular, the largest companies that do so much to create jobs, innovate and expand opportunity,” said Bolten, who served as President George W. Bush’s Director of the Office of Management and Budget before becoming White House chief of staff in 2006. “It’s a particular privilege to be joining Business Roundtable at this time of rapid change and great promise for U.S. economic policy.”
In a letter to other members of the Bush political machinery, Bolten wrote: “As a former member of the George W. Bush Administration, you know that integrity, decency, and sound judgment are essential qualities for the presidency. Donald Trump, the man who accused President Bush and his team of lying, isn’t fit for the office our former boss held with such distinction.”
The Princeton graduate also manned the #NeverTrump table “most of the day” at the Bush-Cheney reunion in April.
Bolten is former executive at Goldman Sachs and is now the managing director at Rock Creek Global Advisors, a consulting firm.
The former White House chief of staff is a strong supporter of President Barack Obama’s trade policies, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but he was most direct in his opposition to Trump during the primaries.
Here is the full text of the letter he mass-mailed to other members of the “Bush-Cheney Alum”:
Dear fellow Bush-Cheney Alum:
I don’t have to tell you how important this election cycle is to the future of the Republican Party, and to our country. I’m writing because I believe that nominating the current Republican frontrunner would cost our Party its standing as the defender of limited government, constitutional principle, and American leadership – leaving it crippled for years to come.
As a former member of the George W. Bush Administration, you know that integrity, decency, and sound judgment are essential qualities for the presidency. Donald Trump, the man who accused President Bush and his team of lying, isn’t fit for the office our former boss held with such distinction.
If you are registered in DC, I urge you to join me in voting in the Republican primary on Saturday, March 12. You can vote any time between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm – but only at the Loews Madison Hotel, 1177 15th St, NW. DC’s 16 elected delegates will be determined by a small number of votes, so please don’t underestimate how much difference your one vote could make.
Note that after you cast a vote for the Party’s nominee, you’ll be directed to a separate room to elect delegates to the Republican National Convention. Because of the possibility of a contested convention, I urge you to select only delegates you are confident will consistently oppose Trump.
I hope to see you at the Loews Madison Hotel this Saturday, March 12 (please stop by the #NeverTrump table, where I’ll be most of the day), and at the Bush-Cheney reunion in Dallas on April 15-16.
With appreciation for your service and warm regards,
Josh Bolten.
Business Roundtable Chairman Jamie Dimon, who was on Trump’s short list for Treasury Secretary said, “Josh is the right choice at the right time to lead Business Roundtable to drive economic growth and opportunity. His impressive experience at the highest levels of government and the private sector gives him the stature and ability to navigate complex issues and to help to bridge differences to find collaborative and common sense solutions.”
The Business Roundtable was founded in 1972 to provide CEOs of large corporations a vehicle to influence public policy.