Donald Trump has been fired from the network that made him famous for saying “you’re fired.”
After several recent remarks including very insensitive comments about immigrants who cross the Mexico/U.S. border, NBC has decided to no longer work with Trump on his reality television series The Apprentice or the long-running Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
“At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values,” the network said. “Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump. 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. In addition, as Mr. Trump has already indicated, he will not be participating in The Apprentice on NBC. Celebrity Apprentice is licensed from Mark Burnett’s United Artists Media Group and that relationship will continue.”
NBC reportedly wishes to continue The Apprentice but will do so with a new host.
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Update: Trump has issued a statement in which he reminds everyone about the immigration issues facing the country and expresses his disappointment in NBC. He went so far as to throw NBC’s recently ousted Nightly News anchor Brian Williams under the bus.
“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 be doing The Apprentice because I am running for President in order to Make our Country Great Again.”
He 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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Trump announced earlier this month that he’s running for President of the United States. It was with this announcement during which we made comments about immigrants. Since then, he’s continued to dig himself into a deeper hole.
NBC launched The Apprentice with Trump back in January 2004. The show used to feature every day people vying for the role of Trump’s “Apprentice,” but after ratings began to drop, NBC and Trump decided to only use celebrity contestants beginning with season 7.