Some CEOs 'scared out of their minds about being attacked' by Trump

so they won’t complain about immigration ban

A few chief executives joined protests against President Donald Trump's temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim countries, but a larger group of CEOs remained publicly silent over fears of being targeted by the president, CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin said Monday.

The Financial Times' Gillian Tett said on CNBC's "Squawk Box" that she had spoken with CEOs who were privately upset by the executive order but worried about speaking out. "Squawk Box" co-host Sorkin said he had heard the same from his C-level sources.

"I had similar conversations with executives over the weekend, all of whom ... seemed to be upset about at least the implementation of this program," Sorkin said. "They are scared out of their minds about being attacked ... and what that's going to do for their business."

Tett said the CEOs she contacted were especially worried about the risk of speaking out in the context of Trump's potential backlash — and that of his supporters.