US President Donald Trump faced renewed pressure on Monday to respond more forcefully to a violent white-nationalist rally in Virginia, after drawing a storm of criticism when he avoided explicit condemnation of far-right groups.
In a strong rebuke to the president, the chief executive of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies resigned from a business panel led by Trump. Merck & Co Inc CEO Kenneth Frazier cited a need for leadership countering bigotry.
The Republican president has been assailed by Republicans and Democrats alike over his handling of Saturday’s violence in Charlottesville, in which a woman was killed when a man drove his car into a group of counter-protesters.
Trump was meeting top law enforcement officials at the White House on Monday to discuss the issue. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he expected the president would address the incident again later in the day.
Critics said Trump waited too long to address…