The Chief Executive of Merck & Co Inc has resigned from US President Donald Trump's American Manufacturing Council, saying he was taking a stand against intolerance and extremism.
Kenneth Frazier announced the move on Twitter.
It follows criticism of Mr Trump for not specifically denouncing the far right in his first comments on violence at a white national rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, at the weekend.
Mr Trump denounced what he called "this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides", repeating "many sides" in his address.
A 32-year-old woman was killed and 19 people were injured, five critically, on Saturday when a man ploughed a car into a crowd of people protesting the rally.
Mr Frazier said in his tweet that US leaders must honour "our fundamental views by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal".
Mr Trump responded in a tweet, "now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President's Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!"
Several executives from top US companies have stepped down from a number of presidential advisory councils in protest at some of Mr Trump’s policies.
Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk and Walt Disney Co CEO Robert Iger left the president’s Strategic and Policy Forum, a business advisory group, in June, after Mr Trump said he would withdraw from the Paris climate accord.
Mr Musk also left the manufacturing council.
Former Uber Technologies Inc CEO Travis Kalanick quit the business advisory council in February amid pressure from activists and employees who opposed the administration's immigration policies.
— Merck (@Merck) August 14, 2017
Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President's Manufacturing Council,he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2017
