Uber CEO Travis Kalanick leaves Trump's economic council after #DeleteUber backlash

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick will leave President Trump's economic advisory council, Recode reports. Kalanick's decision to remain a part of Trump's economic group after Trump signed an executive order banning individuals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. prompted backlash against Kalanick's ride-hailing app, with many rallying earlier this week to #DeleteUber and flocking to competitor app Lyft instead.

In a letter sent to employees Thursday and obtained by The New York Times, Kalanick wrote that he had informed Trump earlier Thursday that he could not join the economic council. "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda," Kalanick wrote, "but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that."

Kalanick had promised earlier in the week to discuss with Trump the immigration order while stating his intent to remain a part of Trump's economic advisory group, which he joined in December. In his note Thursday, Kalanick said he spoke with Trump about the order before withdrawing from the council — read his full letter to employees at Recode.

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