Supporters of former President Donald Trump have said they will boycott Coca-Cola after the company opposes Georgia’s new voting law.
Trump, who reportedly had a Diet Coke button installed on his oval office desk, asked his supporters to boycott all “companies that are interfering in free and fair elections”.
The former president named Coca-Cola alongside Delta and MLB among the organizations that Republicans should despise.
His April 1 statement came after Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey announced earlier that day that the company was opposed to the recently passed voting law in Georgia.
Quincey said in the statement: “We want to be crystal clear and state unambiguously that we are disappointed with the outcome of Georgia’s voting legislation.”
He added later: “In addition, our focus now is to support federal legislation that protects access to voting and addresses the suppression of voters across the country. We all have a duty to protect everyone’s voting rights and we will continue to defend what is right in Georgia and across the US “
Joe Raedle / Staff / Getty
Democrats strongly criticized the bill, with President Joe Biden labeling it “Jim Crow in the 21st century” and “a blatant attack on the constitution”.
They add that laws make it difficult to vote for absentees and create other restrictions, such as offering water to people waiting in line, who tend to be longer in more populated areas.
It comes after Democrats managed to win two crucial Senate contests earlier this year, which could help win equally divided votes in the chamber.
But Republicans who support the bill say it makes elections fairer and would help prevent the possibility of electoral fraud.
Coca-Cola’s intervention also sparked a massive response from Trump supporters, who announced on social media that they would follow his example and boycott the company.
Morning America: it’s time for the MAGA nation to stand alongside President Trump and boycott the anti-American corporations MLB and Coca-Cola WOKE entirely
We need to send a message to these companies
WILL WAKE UP WILL BREAK #BoycottCocaColaCo #BoycottMLB– vince langman (@LangmanVince) April 3, 2021
A Trump supporter with more than 13,700 followers posted: “Morning America: it’s time for the MAGA nation to side with President Trump and boycott the anti-American MLB and Coca-Cola corporations entirely.
“We need to send a message to these corporations. Go awake, go bankrupt.”
Retired colonel Rob Maness attacks Delta Airlines, which also condemned Georgia’s new law, while asking whether “wokeacola” would be the Republicans’ next target.
@Coke let me make this perfectly clear #wokeacola I’m moving to Pepsi, you left a party hack for a company.
– The Black Files (@blackfilesinfo) April 2, 2021
Another commentator added: “Coca-Cola, let me make that perfectly clear #wokeacola, I’m switching to Pepsi, you left a party hack for a company.”
Matt Schlapp, president of the American Conservative Union, also announced in a social media statement that he would boycott Coca and drink Pepsi instead.
Switching to Diet Pepsi at Schlapp’s place. Having to prove who you are to vote is called democracy. Allowing unlawful coordinated voting is called totalitarianism.
– Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) April 2, 2021
On Twitter, he said, “Switching to Diet Pepsi at Schlapp’s house. Having to prove who you are to vote is called democracy. Allowing coordinated illegal voting is called totalitarianism.”