Boycott Targets Texas Companies Following National Guard Deployments
A boycott of Texas-based companies is gaining momentum online, spurred by Governor Greg Abbott‘s support for the Trump administration’s deployment of the Texas National Guard to cities including Portland, Oregon and Chicago, Illinois. The deployments were intended to protect federal property and personnel at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities following recent protests.
Organizers of the “Abbott boycott” aim to exert economic pressure on texas officials, hoping to compel them to withdraw support for the deployments by discouraging consumer spending with companies headquartered in the state.
A range of Texas businesses have been identified as targets, including Austin-based Tesla and Oracle, and also Round Rock-based Dell.Other companies facing potential boycott action are American Airlines, Southwest airlines, AT&T, Exxon Mobil, Caterpillar, Texas Instruments, USAA Insurance, and Kimberly-Clark.
Social media posts promoting the boycott express frustration with the federal intervention in state matters. One Reddit post warned targeted companies, stating, “Good luck with your next quarterly reports,” and extended the call to action internationally, urging support for those in the US.
The Trump administration justified the National Guard deployments by citing attacks on federal agents near an ICE facility in Chicago, referencing a law allowing presidential control of state guards during times of civil unrest. However, courts in both Oregon and Illinois have since blocked the deployments, deeming them unlawful.
This boycott builds upon previous efforts targeting Tesla, which had already faced criticism for its perceived alignment with the Trump administration.
