NBCUniversal, home to reality TV hit "The Apprentice" and formerly to next month's Miss USA pageant, has cut ties with Donald Trump following the presidential candidate's racist remarks about Mexicans.
"Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump," the network said in a press release. "To that end, the annual Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants, which are part of a joint venture between NBC and Trump, will no longer air on NBC."
Trump, according to the release, will not be participating in any NBC programming going forward, including the popular "Celebrity Apprentice."
NBC's decision comes as a Change.org petition asking for Trump to be fired reached over 219,000 signatures. The petition calls out NBC for choosing business over "ethics, principles and values." Last week, Univision, which was set to simulcast the Miss USA pageant in Spanish, also distances themselves from Trump in the wake of his comments calling Mexicans rapists and criminals.
Addressing an audience of about 300 people at Chicago's Center Club on Monday, Trump said his split from NBC is more about his unwillingness to continue with "The Apprentice" than his immigration stance.
"They didn't want me to run because they wanted to 'The Apprentice.' As you know, they renewed 'The Apprentice.' I just told them I cannot do 'The Apprentice' because of the fact I'm running," Trump said. "As long as I'm running for president, they were not happy with it. Now with my statements on immigration, which happen to be correct, they are going to take a different stance and that's ok."
Outside the sold-out luncheon, dozens of protestors peacefully chanted "Hate speech is not presidential!" Trump sidestepped the crowd by going through the club's kitchen. Early in his speech Trump, tried to clarify the initial comments by saying he was treated unfairly by the press.
"I'm very, very strong on immigration," Trump said. "I love the Mexican people."
[UPDATE]
Trump's office released the following statement Monday afternoon:
As of today, Donald J. Trump is no longer affiliated with NBC. Mr. Trump stands by his statements on illegal immigration, which are accurate. NBC is weak, and like everybody else is trying to be politically correct--- that is why our country is in serious trouble.
Mr. Trump says, "We must have strong borders and not let illegal immigrants enter the United States. As has been stated continuously in the press, people are pouring across our borders unabated. Public reports routinely state great amounts of crime are being committed by illegal immigrants. This must be stopped and it must be stopped now. Long ago I told NBC that I would not being doing The Apprentice because I am running for President in order to Make our Country Great Again."
Mr. Trump continued, "If NBC is so weak and so foolish to not understand the serious illegal immigration problem in the United States, coupled with the horrendous and unfair trade deals we are making with Mexico, then their contract violating closure of Miss Universe/Miss USA will be determined in court. Furthermore, they will stand behind lying Brian Williams, but won't stand behind people that tell it like it is, as unpleasant as that may be."
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