In a recent interview, Target’s CEO Brian Cornell stirred controversy after claiming that the conservative reaction to Pride Month merchandise in stores was worse than the violence that occurred during the George Floyd riots in 2020.
During the interview, which took place on the CNBC morning show Squawk Box, Cornell claimed that Target employees did not feel safe coming to work amid conservative boycotts.
“We’ve seen natural disasters, the impact of COVID, some of the violence that took place after George Floyd’s murder, but I would tell you, what I saw back in May is the first time since I’ve been in this job where I had store members saying, ‘It’s not safe to come to work,'” Cornell explained.
"We've been celebrating heritage moments like Pride for over a decade now. We've never seen that kind of response," says $TGT CEO Brian Cornell. "I knew personally this was not going to be well received. But we had to prioritize the safety of the team." pic.twitter.com/m1nP44kBzo
— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) November 2, 2023
“We’ve been celebrating heritage months, like PRIDE, for over a decade now, we’ve never seen this kind of response,” the Target CEO added.
Cornell was referring to a boycott against the superstore that began in May, following similar boycotts against companies like Bud Light and Disney, who faced conservative backlash for promoting transgender ideology. Target came under fire when viral posts revealed the sale of “tuck-friendly” bathing suits and pride-themed clothing for children, along with the revelation that a designer Target collaborated with was a Satanist.
Target hires satanic artist for Pride collection. This is what spiritual warfare is. This is the culture war. pic.twitter.com/t6gbuffP46
— MORGONN (@morgonnm) May 23, 2023
The initiation of this boycott had a severe impact on Target’s sales, and the store has continued to grapple with the consequences months later.
When CNBC host Rebecca Quick questioned Cornell about the marketing of transgender bathing suits to children and the designer’s alleged involvement in devil worship, the CEO dismissed these claims as untrue.
“I think, you and I both know, those weren’t true,” the Target CEO said. “But, in the moment, we said, the best thing for us to do is address the issue — we can’t combat each and every statement that’s made.
This piece first appeared at TPUSA.
