Ducey Channels Trump, Withdraws AZ Nike Plant Incentives In Tweet

Betsy Ross-Colin Kaepernick controversy

doug ducey
Governor Ducey addresses the National Investor Relations Institute [Photo from @dougducey]

He’s too short to be president, but you would think he is on his way to the White House after Governor Doug Ducey let off a series of tweets in the early morning hours of Tuesday. In those tweets, Ducey announced that he has withdrawn all financial incentives intended to attract Nike to the Phoenix area.

Ducey was reacting to the news that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick successfully convinced Nike to pull its sneakers featuring an early American flag commonly known as the Betsy Ross flag. Kaepernick reportedly found the shoe to be offensive.

“Words cannot express my disappointment at this terrible decision. I am embarrassed for Nike,” Ducey tweeted early Tuesday morning regarding its decision to nix the Betsy Ross sneakers. “Nike is an iconic American brand and American company. This country, our system of government and free enterprise have allowed them to prosper and flourish.

“Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation’s independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism. It is a shameful retreat for the company. American businesses should be proud of our country’s history, not abandoning it.

“Nike has made its decision, and now we’re making ours. I’ve ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here. Arizona’s economy is doing just fine without Nike. We don’t need to suck up to companies that consciously denigrate our nation’s history.”