Disney CEO Robert Iger to Participate on Trump Panel, Defends Choice to Shareholders

Disney CEO Robert Iger agreed to participate in a Trump panel and he is currently facing pushback from shareholders. According to ONTD, at an annual shareholders meeting, Iger was presented with a petition with over 500,000 signatures asking him to step down from the panel, the rational being a fear that Disney could suffer from boycotts and protests of their parks, films, and ABC network.

Iger has taken the defensive saying, "think there is an opportunity for me to express views that I think ... are of value to the company and its shareholders." He reportedly claimed that he will be expressing opinions that are "adversarial to the view of the administration," including disagreement about the falsity of climate change which he believes to be very real.

Disney has recently made great strides in the areas of representation and discussion of pertinent issues such as gender and race with productions such as ZOOTOPIA and BLACK-ISH. Iger is said to believe that Disney can make "the biggest impact on the planet" by continuing to put inclusive messages in its works.

Since Mr. Iger, 63, became CEO, The Walt Disney Company has repeatedly been recognized as one of the "Most Reputable Companies" in both America and the world by Forbes magazine (2006-2014); one of "America's Most Admired Companies" by Fortune magazine (2009-2014); one of the "World's Most Respected Companies" by Barron's (2009-2014); and as "Company of the Year" by Yahoo Finance (2013).

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