Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit worth $500m against Univision Communications after the company aborted the telecast of the Miss USA beauty pageant, which was set to air on the 12th of this month, over the New York real estate developer and would-be Republican presidential candidate’s controversial comments about Mexican immigrants.
NBC has also pulled out of the telecast and severed ties with Trump following a close association that lasted more than ten years. Trump caused outrage during his press conference to announce his run for his party’s presidential nomination by saying that some Mexican immigrants were rapists and criminals. Trump says that he said nothing that he has not said before and that pressure from the Mexican government was behind Univision’s decision.
Trump reiterated his respect for Mexico and the “tremendous spirit” of the Mexican people; however, he did not back down from his former statements, noting that that country’s leaders and trade negotiators have been smarter than those in the United States, resulting in the US economy and US citizens suffering enormously as a consequence. “We have to remedy the situation and do it fast,” Trump declared. “These have long been my views and I have the courage, unlike many others, to express them.”
Trump also repeated his belief that illegal immigration is resulting in high levels of crime in the United States and that the “terrible trade deals” being entered into by the US government are financially ruining the country. “We are losing a huge number of jobs, manufacturing opportunities and money due to poorly-negotiated trade deals, a fact that [is] indisputable. That won’t happen if I become president ‒ this disturbing trend will end and it will end quickly,” he explained.