US President Donald Trump has ripped into business leaders who resigned from his White House jobs panel — the latest sign that corporate America's romance with Mr Trump is faltering — after his equivocal response to violence by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Key points: Donald Trump says business leaders who quit his panel are "grandstanders"

Donald Trump says business leaders who quit his panel are "grandstanders" Latest executive to quit says "it was the right thing for me to do"

Latest executive to quit says "it was the right thing for me to do" Merck, Under Armour and Intel bosses have already quit panel

"They're not taking their job seriously as it pertains to this country," the President said at an impromptu news conference at Trump Tower in New York City.

So far six members of Mr Trump's panel have quit their posts, including:

Merck chief executive Kenneth Frazier

Merck chief executive Kenneth Frazier Under Armour chief executive Kevin Plank

Under Armour chief executive Kevin Plank Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich

Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich Alliance for American Manufacturing president Scott Paul

Alliance for American Manufacturing president Scott Paul AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka

AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka AFL-CIO deputy chief of staff Thea Lee

Mr Trump denied that his original statement about the violence in Virginia on Saturday was the cause of the departures.

"Some of the folks that will leave, they're leaving out of embarrassment because they make their products outside [the United States]," he said.

Mr Trump also assailed the CEOs who left on Twitter as "grandstanders" and said he had plenty of executives available to take their place.

The President added that he believed economic growth in the US would heal its racial divide.

But the parade of departing leaders from the informal panel seems closely linked to how the President responded to events that led to the death of a counter-protester that opposed the white supremacists.

Alliance president Scott Paul, in a tweet, said simply: "I'm resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it's the right thing for me to do."

Mr Trump today reiterated his controversial view that both sides were to blame for Saturday's violence, reigniting the race row.

Shortly after, Mr Trumka tweeted his resignation and that of his colleague Thea Lee, saying they could not "sit on a council for a President who tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism".

Mr Trumka added the panel had failed to help working families, and described it as "yet another broken promise on the President's record".

Corporate leaders have been willing to work with Mr Trump on taxes, trade and reducing regulations, but they have increasingly found themselves grappling with cultural and social divides amid his lightning rod-style of leadership.

Merck chief executive Kenneth Frazier, one of only four African-Americans to currently lead a Fortune 500 company, was the first to tender his resignation on Monday.

He was assailed almost immediately by Mr Trump on Twitter.

Then came resignations from Under Armour chief executive Kevin Plank and Intel chief Brian Krzanich.

Majority of leaders want to have voice at table

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The majority of chief executives and business leaders sitting on the two major federal panels are condemning racism, but say they want to keep a seat at the table.

"Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is unwavering, and we will remain active champions for these efforts," a spokesman for Campbell Soup chief executive Denise Morrison said.

"We believe it continues to be important for Campbell to have a voice and provide input on matters that will affect our industry, our company and our employees in support of growth.

There have been other departures from major councils created by the Trump administration that were tied to its policies.

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk resigned from the manufacturing council in June, and two other advisory groups to the President, after the US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.

Walt Disney chairman and chief executive Bob Iger resigned for the same reason from the President's Strategic and Policy Forum.

AP