BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, in an interview, expressed his shame over being part of the contentious ESG debate. Fink criticized both far-left and far-right groups for misusing and abusing the term ESG, causing controversy around its purpose. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ withdrawal of $2 billion in assets from BlackRock in 2022 revealed real-world consequences of the debate. Fink stated his investment letters were never meant to be political, but to identify long-term issues for investors. However, Fink later clarified he wasn’t ashamed and still believed in “conscientious capitalism.” The ongoing ESG debate has Republicans forming a task force to safeguard financial interests against alleged progressive agendas.
