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Donald Trump Vs. FedEx?

ATeam

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
As a business person, candidate and president-elect, Donald Trump has shown a penchant to fiercely attack those who attack him. These attacks are often made at the personal level where Trump tweets and makes statements elsewhere to undermine a critic's reputation and credibility. Where he has it to use, Trump has directly applied power to limit the critic's freedom to do something the critic seeks to do.

Examples include numerous court actions Trump has taken or threatened to take to stop, silence or adversely impact his critics. Another example is locking certain news organizations out of rallies where he had the power to do so because he rented the space and controlled the venue.

The message is clear. Don't mess with Donald Trump. If you do, there will be a price to pay.

In a few short weeks, Trump will become the President of the United States; the most powerful man in the world; and a man who has the ability to target and directly impact specific American companies (something he has already shown a willingness to do; e.g. Carrier).

On November 17, Fred Smith, FedEx CEO, went to Trump Tower to meet the president-elect and voice Smith's free-trade views and staunch support of TPP (which Trump staunchly opposes). On December 9, Smith took a public stand as a Trump critic.

FedEx has a lucrative relationship with the U.S. Postal Service. As many FedEx Custom Critical contractors know, FedEx also does a fair amount of business with the DOD, CDC, FEMA and others. FedEx relies heavily on the free use of U.S. airways, airports and roadways to conduct its business.

Now that Smith has made it personal between Trump and Smith, it will be interesting to see what actions, if any, Trump will take regarding FedEx and FedEx competitors who have not come out as Trump critics.

Notice how Greg Hays, CEO of United Technologies, Carrier's parent company, is treading more carefully around Donald Trump.

Has Fred Smith overplayed his hand in the game with Donald Trump? Is Smith acting in the best interests of FedEx shareholders by coming out against Trump as he is now doing?
 
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Pilgrim

Pilgrim

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Easy to see why Smith is at odds with Trump's trade views. As stated in the above linked article, "We move 12 million shipments daily, serving 220 countries and territories..." From a business standpoint, this international activity is especially critical to FedEx & Smith's benefit considering this interesting tidbit from a Forbes article written in 2014: "An international priority delivery brings in more than three times as much revenue as a domestic one."
10 Things You Might Not Know About FedEx Billionaire Fred Smith

Easy to see why Smith doesn't want Trump rocking the boat with his international trade interests. Also keep in mind that Smith seems to be thoroughly ingrained in the GOP establishment and was a big supporter of John McCain during his presidential bid. Since both he and Trump are wealthy businessmen from wealthy families, their pragmatic tendencies will prevail and Smith especially will find a way to play nice with the world's most powerful person. He would also turn on Trump in a Memphis minute if it would be in his advantage to do so.
 
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iceroadtrucker

iceroadtrucker

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Well Personally Ya want to get fired up. 1. China was in the United States buying all the Gold up.
The Company up in Canada that bought the Gold mine in Round Mountain Nevada guess who owns it.
Need I say more.
Asian Persuasion Did that go through Nope. Neither did the Corn being sold to china it sets on the ship at the doc then is taken south and sold to 3rd world country for dirt then China comes in a buys it from them. Let not go there about a company in the United States that made a highbred seed corn that China never gave the ok for . That an excuse for them not buying the corn from the United States really then why are they buying it from the 3rd world country that we end up selling it to. GO figure. How about china money fall from grace so to speak after they announced how much Gold they had since they hadn't said nothing since 2009 and wham what happened. Hmm. Shock ad Awe. Oh the mysterious of it all.
Na NAFTA Good Nope not for the Farmers who sell grain, not for the Automotive workers, not for the American truck drivers. Not for the Nabisco workers who Jobs went to Mexico , Not for the American company that made blades for the wind Mills for GE. By the way my Brother Works there GE. Not for Ford workers or Freightliner Trucks nor Carrier and let me tell you Trump wasn't able to save the all them Jobs for Indiana...

The only thing NAFTA is good for hmm cant think of a thing.
Sorta like Monsanto and there stinking Soy beans. Crooked Law suites that took farmer lands.
Reminds me of Tyson for Example and their Cooperate Farming pushing Farmers to let them build Hog Confinements on there land pay them to run them but when the equipment breaks down there is hell to pay and in the end the farmer looses his land to the Vampire.

Tell me about Steel shall we bring up RG Steel outa Baltimore. Koch Bros. Sliced and diced it as its copper was worth more than the company its self. Worth more dead than alive. Now what we buy steal from China Japan Hmmm

NAFTA may be good for some but not the American Blue Collar worker.
I say it again good for other countries, Good for Foreign workers but NOT for American Citizen workers.
 
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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Pilgrim said:
Easy to see why Smith is at odds with Trump's trade views. As stated in the above linked article, "We move 12 million shipments daily, serving 220 countries and territories..." From a business standpoint, this international activity is especially critical to FedEx & Smith's benefit considering this interesting tidbit from a Forbes article written in 2014: "An international priority delivery brings in more than three times as much revenue as a domestic one."
10 Things You Might Not Know About FedEx Billionaire Fred Smith

Easy to see why Smith doesn't want Trump rocking the boat with his international trade interests. Also keep in mind that Smith seems to be thoroughly ingrained in the GOP establishment and was a big supporter of John McCain during his presidential bid. Since both he and Trump are wealthy businessmen from wealthy families, their pragmatic tendencies will prevail and Smith especially will find a way to play nice with the world's most powerful person. He would also turn on Trump in a Memphis minute if it would be in his advantage to do so.
Click to expand...
patriotism and business does not mix IMO... I am on Smith's side....
 
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