In a March commentary on this page I defended Disney CEO Robert Iger for deciding to stay on President Donald Trump’s business advisory committee so that he would have an opportunity to influence the president on important economic issues. It has become clear, however, that Trump doesn’t listen to advice and business leaders are abandoning him for reasons that go beyond business and economic issues. They do the right thing.

While business leaders rallied to some Trump policies to boost the economy such as tax reform and infrastructure improvements, his presidency must be considered as a whole. Trump’s response to the bigotry, racism and ignorance in Charlottesville is embarrassing to the business leaders and dangerous for the country.

When business leaders began announcing they were leaving the president’s manufacturing council and economic strategy and policy forum in disagreement over his comments about Charlottesville, Trump decided to close down the councils. One argument put out by the White House was the councils were ineffective.

The business leaders are coming to the same conclusion about Trump’s leadership on many issues including those that they signed up to advise.

It should be noted that Robert Iger along with another prominent Californian on Trump’s business council, Elon Musk, resigned their positions after the president pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord.

Trump defenders say it is early in his presidency; that the Gross Domestic Product has soared since Trump took office; and that he will get the job done for the economy and for business. But by his constant attack on not only his opponents but also his supporters, Trump is losing the political infrastructure to achieve his goals.

He then overran those concerns with the great misunderstanding of the momentous issues that tie this country together as revealed by his inadequate and misguided defense of supposed “very fine people” who clearly express hate for fellow Americans. As Merck & Co. CEO Kenneth Frazier put it in stepping down from the manufacturing council, “America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal.”

Beyond any economic benefit that would surely help the people of this country there is also a moral bearing that business leaders must uphold. The country has long survived under the motto, E Pluribus Unum. Out of many one. Many states to one nation. Many peoples to one nationality. It is the president’s job to embrace that American essence. It is incumbent on business leaders to show support for that American ideal.

Perhaps the best advice the business leaders gave the president was not through the business councils but in resigning from those councils. In so doing the business leaders are highlighting to Trump that he must change his ways if he hopes to succeed.

On a more personal note, as someone who proudly keeps mementoes on my office wall of my father’s service and fight against the Nazis in the Second World War, I find appalling any comfort given to today’s Neo-Nazis.