CEO DATELINE - CTA head defends inviting Ivanka Trump to trade show
CEO DATELINE - CTA head defends inviting Ivanka Trump to trade show
- January 6, 2020 |
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Walt Williams
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Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro is defending inviting Ivanka Trump as a speaker to the group's annual trade show, saying she has done great work and will help attendees focus on job-related issues, BBC News reported Sunday.
CTA is the organizer of CES, one of the largest trade shows in the U.S. and a place where many new consumer electronic products make their public debut. This year's event—which kicks off Tuesday in Las Vegas—features Trump as a speaker during one of its keynote sessions, where she will be interviewed by Shapiro.
The decision to feature the president's daughter has sparked backlash from some corners of the tech community, both for political reasons and for Trump's lack of experience in the tech sector. Several hundred people took to Twitter to protest using the hashtag #BoycottCES in the days leading up to this year's event, according to BBC.
However, in an interview with the news agency, Shapiro said he did not regret the decision, noting her role as a jobs creation adviser to President Donald Trump.
"There's a lot of focus on jobs of the future, and certainly the keynote that I'll be doing with Ivanka Trump will be focusing on… how industry is working with government on this very important issue," he said.
CES regularly hosts government officials, most of whom usually court far less controversy. The association noted in a Jan. 2 news release that three current cabinet secretaries—Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette—along along with more than 150 government officials from the U.S., Europe and Asia will attend or participate at this year's trade show. https://bbc.in/2SVMPmL
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