Donald Trump plans to sue the Univision television network for pulling out of broadcasting the Miss USA Pageant on July 12.
In his verbose presidential campaign announcement on June 16 in New York City, Trump prompted a backlash when he complained about rapists and other criminals allegedly coming across the southern border from Mexico.
Univision subsequently announced that it was terminating its business relationship with the Trump Organization because of the business mogul and reality TV star’s “insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants.”
As a result of the controversy over Trump’s anti-immigrant statements, Miss USA co-host Cristian de la Fuente has removed himself from the event, calling Trump a clown . Actress Roslyn Sanchez has also cancelled her co-hosting participation in the pageant broadcast on the same grounds. Latin singing sensation J Balvin similarly cancelled his performance at Miss USA 2015, citing Trump’s comments as the reason.
Univision previously entered into a five-year contract to air both the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, so Trump is taking the Spanish-language network to court. Trump has insisted that the $13.5 million contract is iron-clad .
Miss USA is run by the Miss Universe Organization, a joint venture between Trump and NBCUniversal.
Explained one of The Donald’s key advisors about the planned litigation, “We intend to pursue all legal rights and remedies available to Mr. Trump pursuant to the terms of the license agreement as well as a defamation case against Univision. I am at this moment finalizing the retainer agreement with outside counsel,” Politico reported .
Univision’s decision to cut ties with Trump is all about politics, according the billionaire businessman, however.
“The government of Mexico and the lobbyists and the special interests have put tremendous pressure on Univision, a company that is very subservient to Mexico, to get Trump to stop exposing the terrible situation at the border and the terrible trade deals that are being made by the United States to the benefit of Mexico. I will not be party to that, because my love of the country is too great to allow this to happen.”
Separately, according to Th e Washington Free Beacon , last week a Univision executive in a now-deleted Instagram posting “appeared to indicate that there were similarities between Trump and Dylann Roof,” the suspected Charleston mass murderer.
Although Trump is running for president as a Republican, he has in the past praised many Democrats (including Obama and the Clintons) and has given money to their party. In prior election cycles, he has flirted with mounting a third-party presidential campaign.
Univision also declared that its news division will continue to cover all 2016 presidential candidates, including Donald Trump.
According to a separate Politico account, Univision and Bill and Hillary Clinton have a deep relationship .
Donald Trump also got into a beef this week with rock legend Neil Young, a Canadian citizen and Bernie Sanders supporter, for playing “Rockin’ In the Free World” at the Trump rally without permission.
Trump, who has a quick trigger finger on social media, fired back on Twitter to accuse Young of hypocrisy.
. @Neilyoung A few months ago Neil Young came to my office looking for $$ on an audio deal & called me last week to go to his concert. Wow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 24, 2015
For the nonbeliever, here is a photo of @Neilyoung in my office and his $$ request—total hypocrite. pic.twitter.com/Xm4BJvetIa
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 24, 2015
Whether Donald Trump is a viable or vanity candidate remains to be seen. According to Breitbart’s John Nolte , Trump’s combative personality — whether you like him or hate him — nonetheless sets him apart from other candidates even when is wrong.
“The Donald is fearless, and he fights like a Leftist, not a milquetoast Republican henpecked by the media into a soft-bellied Walter Mitty who dreams of but will never be president.”
In an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett (see below), Trump asserted that he has an absolutely great relationship with Mexico and Mexicans but that America has become the dumping ground for the world’s problems because of the unsecured southern border.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qvM9G8G56U
[Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images News]
Univision wants to back out of signed @MissUniverse contract because I exposed the terrible trade deals that the U.S. makes with Mexico.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2015