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Popular outdoor equipment retailer REI has issued a public apology for its previous endorsement of Doug Burgum, the man Donald Trump tapped to lead the Interior Department.
Late last year, environmental groups warned against supporting the then-governor of North Dakota for interior secretary, arguing that the former businessman would sacrifice federal lands in the name of increasing profits for fossil fuel companies. But REI, which presents itself as a pro-environmental company, defied these groups in January when it signed on to a letter supporting Burgum’s nomination. The letter said that his “history of support for outdoor recreation, the outdoor recreation economy, and the protection of public lands and waters makes his leadership critical for the Administration and the Department.”
Since becoming secretary, Burgum has controversially proposed using federal lands for affordable housing and affirmed environmental groups’ worst fears by doubling down on Trump’s attempt to “restore the coal industry.” And now, REI — via its new president and CEO, Mary Beth Laughton, who took the helm after the letter was signed — is regretting its endorsement.
In a video message posted Wednesday on social media, Laughton said REI’s signing of the letter “was a mistake” and that “our public lands are under attack.” Here’s a partial transcript:
Today, I want to talk about something urgent. Our public lands are under attack. From the gutting of national park staff to expanded threats of drilling, or even selling off of our public lands, the future of life outdoors has never felt so uncertain. As a community of people who love the outdoors, we have work to do. Before I share how we’re going to move forward, I have to address something head-on. Earlier this year, REI signed an outdoor industry letter supporting Doug Burgum as secretary of the interior. We are one of many organizations to sign and did so in an effort to have a seat at the table and continue our outdoor recreation advocacy. Many of you shared your disappointment and your frustration with that decision, and I hear you. Let me be clear: Signing that letter was a mistake. The actions that the administration has taken on public lands are completely at odds with the long-standing values of REI. While this happened before I arrived at the co-op, I’m here to apologize to our members on behalf of REI, to retract our endorsement of Doug Burgum, and to take full accountability for how we move forward.
Laughton also said that REI will be a corporate leader in pressuring the Interior Department to be transparent about its decisions involving public lands, as well as calling on Congress to prevent “the large-scale sell-off” of these lands.
These days, it seems many companies are starting to realize that supporting this administration may have been a foolish — perhaps even self-injurious — mistake. The Washington Post, CNBC and other outlets have written about the losses that Trump-friendly tech companies have suffered — and are likely to suffer — as a result of the president’s haphazard stewardship of the economy. Earlier this week, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon appeared to backtrack on his January remark that people should “get over” Trump’s tariff policy when he acknowledged that Trump’s tariffs are likely to increase inflation and slow down the economy.
REI appears to be the latest business to discover that aligning with MAGA might not have been such a smart move after all.
