Univision Cuts Ties With Donald Trump… And The Feud Escalates

Last week Univision Communications announced that it will cut all business ties with Donald Trump, and with it would no longer broadcast the Miss USA pageant on July 12 as originally planned.

And the feud was on. Trump said he intends to sue Univision. He banned all Univision employees from using the facilities at his Trump National Doral resort which sits adjacent to the media conglomerate’s offices in Miami.

Univision’s decision came in response to offensive comments the Republican presidential candidate, who is a part owner of the Miss Universe Organization, made about Mexican immigrants the June 16 speech announcing his bid for the White House.

Trump labeled Mexico as the cause of numerous problems the U.S. is currently facing.

“The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems,” he states. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

Univision responded Thursday morning, stating that: “At Univision, we see first-hand the work ethic, love for family, strong religious values and the important role Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans have had and will continue to have in building the future of our country. We will not be airing the Miss USA pageant on July 12th or working on any other projects tied to the Trump Organization.”

With regards to the U.S. presidential race, Univision News and the local news division confirm that they will, “continue to provide comprehensive coverage of all candidates, including Mr. Trump, to ensure our audience continues to have access to all points of view.”

Univision was not the only one to sever ties with Trump. Miss USA cohosts, Roselyn Sánchez and Cristián de la Fuente said they wouldn’t be part of the show.

“Since I heard Trump’s speech, as a Latina I felt a lump in my stomach; ‘It’s got to be a joke,’ I thought,” Sánchez said. De la Fuente expressed her thoughts on the matter, too, stating that, “It’s a shame that such an important institution as Miss USA is now in the hands of a clown.”

Additionally, Colombian pop singer J Balvin also announced that he was canceling his planned performance at the pageant after learning of Trump’s speech. Miss USA was going to be Balvin’s, first performance on national television, but the singer justifies his cancelation by saying that, “This isn’t about being punitive, but about showing leadership through social responsibility. His comments weren’t just about Mexicans, but about all Latins in general.”

A fuming Trump said he intends to sue Univision for refusing to carry the Miss USA pageant. “They have a signed contract,” he said on Fox News. He added: “They’ll have to pay me a lot of money.”

Across his media appearances, Trump indicated he stands by his statement. And at one point stated his love for Mexican people - “I love Mexico, I love the Mexican people.”

Social media explodes

On Thursday, Alberto Ciurana, Univision’s president for programming and content, posted a meme on Instagram showing a close-up of Trump side-by-side with a close-up of Dylann Roof, the man accused of killing nine churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. Their hair colors and styles in the photos appeared similar.

It said “No comments.”

Amid the backlash, Ciurana took down his post and wrote: “I’m Mexican who was very upset by Mr. Trump’s recent comments about Mexican immigrants, but I should not have re-posted the photo.”

Trump fired back on Twitter.

“The Mexican government and others are putting tremendous pressure on Univision to break their signed and fully effective contract with the Miss Universe Organization because Mr. Trump has been exposing to the public, and the world, the significant damage that is being done at the southern border, and the terrible and costly trade deals that the United States is incompetently making with Mexico.”

He posted on Instagram a photo of a handwritten letter from Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos asking for an interview. The letter, sent to Trump on Thursday, included Ramos’ cell phone number.

Banned

As the battle intensified, Trump ordered that no Univision employees can set foot on his resort Trump National Doral. Univision executives had done the same, sending an internal memo telling staffers not to patronize any Trump hotel or property while conducting company business.

In a letter to Univision CEO Randy Falco, Trump restated his claim that Univision is somehow acting on behalf of the Mexican government.

“P.S.,” Trump wrote. “Please congratulate your Mexican Government officials for having made such outstanding trade deals with the United States. However, inform them that should I become President, those days are over. We are bringing jobs back to the U.S. Also, a meaningful border will be immediately created, not the laughingstock that currently exists.”