Medium CEO Gives Employees Green Light to Join ICE Protest Strike

While most tech executives have spent recent weeks schmoozing with the Trump administration, Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine is taking a different path. He's giving his employees permission to skip work tomorrow and join a nationwide general strike protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The CEO Who Said 'Your Choice'

In a Slack message shared with Medium staff today, Stubblebine told employees they're free to participate in the strike however they see fit. "Whether or not you want to fully take the day away from work, or do a partial work day, or orient your work towards something that feels aligned to the goals of the strike, that is up to you," he wrote.

The strike, organized under the banner "no work, no school, and no shopping," aims to defund ICE amid escalating raids that have killed several people, including two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this month. Stubblebine clarified that Medium isn't "in the business of dictating people's politics," making participation an individual choice rather than a company mandate.

But this wasn't just about individual freedom. Stubblebine positioned the decision within Medium's mission to "elevate truth and diverse voices," particularly "as many other tech orgs are donating to the Trump campaign."

A Tale of Two Tech Industries

The contrast couldn't be starker. While Medium opens its doors for employee activism, other tech leaders have been busy building bridges with the new administration. Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives faced criticism for attending a screening of the Amazon MGM Studios-produced "Melania" documentary on the very day federal immigration agents shot and killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Meanwhile, rank-and-file tech workers have been pushing back. More than 500 tech industry employees signed an open letter demanding ICE and CBP get out of U.S. cities. High-profile figures like Google DeepMind chief scientist Jeff Dean have been outspoken in their protests against ICE operations.

This disconnect between executive boardrooms and employee break rooms reveals a growing tension in the tech industry. As companies chase government contracts and regulatory favor, their workers are increasingly willing to take public stands on social issues.

Business Continuity Meets Social Conscience

Stubblebine's approach shows how companies might balance employee activism with operational needs. He promised to coordinate with necessary teams to ensure "business continuity" on Friday, acknowledging that Medium's role in helping people share news, opinion, and analysis around politics makes uninterrupted service important.

The CEO also reaffirmed Medium's support for diversity, equity, and inclusion policies that the Trump administration has targeted for elimination through executive orders and legal challenges. "Our business thrives when the country thrives, and so being out there representing is good for [our] mission," he explained.

This positions Medium as betting on long-term brand loyalty and employee retention over short-term political accommodation. It's a calculated risk in an industry where talent retention increasingly depends on cultural alignment.