Donald Trump, “the real estate mogul and Republican presidential candidate lost a longtime business partner on Monday when NBC decided it had had enough of Trump. The network and its parent company, NBC Universal, said it was severing all business ties with Trump, a divorce sparked by Trump’s declaration earlier this month that those who enter the country illegally from Mexico are “rapists” and drug runners,” reported The Washington Post.

“Trump’s assertion that Mexican immigrants are “bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people” brought swift condemnation from Latino organizations, a Mexican official and across social media,” stated the Post’s piece.

“After the Spanish language Univision network decided to drop the Trump-produced Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants last week, popular ire shifted to NBC, which co-owns the beauty contests with Trump. An online petition drive calling on NBC Universal to dump Trump had attracted about 200,000 people as of Monday,” continued the Post’s report.

The story, in part, also stated:

“Trump responded to NBC Universal in contradictory fashion on Monday. He said in a statement that he might sue the company. On the other hand, during a speaking engagement, he said maybe he wouldn’t.

“”They did not want me to run,” he said while speaking in Chicago. “They wanted me to do ‘The Apprentice.’ And now with my statements on immigration which happen to be correct, they are going to take a different stance and that’s okay. Whatever they want to do is okay with me.”

“Earlier in the day, however, Trump’s office issued a statement saying it wasn’t okay: “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,” it read.

“Just for good measure, Trump took a shot at NBC for its decision to keep anchor Brian Williams after his suspension for exaggerating his reporting experiences.

“”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,” he said in the statement issued by his office.”

(Photo by Gage Skidmore)