Donald Trump labeled NBC as “weak and foolish” after they ended their business relationship with the GOP hopeful over his comments about immigrants from Mexico, and said he’d see the Peacock network in court.
“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,” Trump said in a statement to FOXNews.com. “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.”
NBC cut ties with Trump after he, in his announcement to run for president, described immigrants from Mexico as “bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.”
“At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values,” the network said in a statement. “Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump.”
The network added that it was done with Trump’s pageants as well.
“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.”
NBC was co-owner with Trump of the pageants and is in business with him as host and producer of the popular show “The Celebrity Apprentice.”
The network stated that their reality show with him was kaput, too.
“In addition, as Mr. Trump has already indicated, he will not be participating in ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ on NBC. ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ is licensed from Mark Burnett’s United Artists Media Group and that relationship will continue.”
Before issuing his statement on the matter, Trump first addressed NBC’s decision while speaking at an event at City Club of Chicago on Monday afternoon.
“Whatever they want to do is O.K. with me,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of great relationships with NBC, I think as far as ending the relationship, I have to do that, because my view on immigration is much different than the people at NBC.”
A petition posted on Change.org asking NBC to fire Trump had collected more than 215,000 signatures since being posted on June 26.
Last week, Univision, the nation’s largest Spanish-language network, said it wouldn’t air the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, and will cut all future business ties with him.
At the time, NBC responded only by saying the company doesn’t “agree with his positions on a number of issues including his recent comments on immigration.” A sister network of NBC is Telemundo, another major Spanish-language TV outlet, which aired the Miss Universe pageants before Univision won the contract.
