WATCH: Goya CEO Won’t Apologize for Praising Trump, Calls Boycott ‘Suppression of Speech’

Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue sparked outrage and a call to boycott his company’s products after he effusively praised President Donald Trump, and he doubled down on his comments Friday morning, telling Fox & Friends that he refused to apologize and called the boycott efforts “suppression of speech.”

Unanue’s original remarks were made on Thursday at an event at the White House Rose Garden.

“Today, it gives me great honor — and, by the way, we’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder,” said Unanue. “And that’s what my grandfather did: He came to this country to build, to grow, to prosper. And so we have an incredible builder, and we pray — we pray for our leadership, our President, and we pray for our country that we will continue to prosper and to grow.”

Twitter blue checks ranging from former tennis star and Miami resident Martina Navratilova, Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro posted their outrage, making #BoycottGoya and #GOYAWAY trending topics.

Unanue was undeterred by the backlash when he spoke to the Fox & Friends hosts Friday morning, calling the boycott “suppression of speech.”

He had previously appeared at a similar White House event when Barack Obama was president, and didn’t think the criticism was fair.

“So, you’re allowed to talk good or to praise one president, but you’re not allowed…to aid in economic and educational prosperity?” asked Unanue. “You make a positive comment and all of a sudden, that’s not acceptable.”

“I’m not apologizing for saying — especially if you’re called by the President of the United States, you’re going to say ‘no, I’m sorry, I’m busy, no thank you’? — I didn’t say that to the Obamas and I didn’t say that to President Trump.”

Watch the video above, via Fox News.