The chief executive of Expedia ended the travel’s company’s fourth quarter earnings call with a cynical remark on our mortality.
“Hopefully we will all be alive to see the end of next year," Dara Khosrowshahi said on the call on Thursday, according to CNBC—a statement that could be perceived as a criticism of the divisive politics shaping the US.
Mr Khosrowshahi moved to the US from Iran with his family in 1978, after the Iranian revolution and has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and his policies.
In January, Mr Trump signed an executive order that temporarily halted visa holders from seven majority-Muslim countries — including Iran — from traveling to the US. Refugee arrivals into the US have also been temporarily barred.
In an internal memo to employees in the aftermath of the implementation of Mr Trump’s travel ban, Mr Khosrowshahi said: “I believe that with this executive order, our President has reverted to the short game.
The US may be ever so slightly less dangerous as a place to live, but it will certainly be seen as a smaller nation, one that is inward-looking versus forward thinking, reactionary versus visionary.”
Expedia and Amazon are supporting a law suit filed by the state of Washington against the Mr Trump's immigration ban.
Expedia on Thursday reported a 23.2 per cent rise in fourth-quarter revenue. However, adjusted earnings per share of $1.17 missed expectations of $1.37, according to a consensus of analysts polled by Reuters.
