NBC offers rebuke to Donald Trump

NBC is giving itself breathing room from GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The network rebuked its longtime content partner over his comments on Hispanic immigrants in a rare statement released on Thursday evening.

{mosads}“Donald Trump’s opinions do not represent those of NBC, and we do not agree with his positions on a number of issues, including his recent comments on immigration,” it said in a statement, according to Entertainment Weekly.

NBC’s statement follows reports earlier that morning that Univision will not air Trump’s Miss Universe pageants after hearing about his remarks last week.

Entertainment Weekly said that NBC co-owns the Miss Universe Organization with the 2016 White House hopeful.

It also helps produce his Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty competitions, it said.

The publication added that Trump is also a partner on NBC’s popular “Celebrity Apprentice” reality TV franchise.

NBC renewed the series for a 15th season earlier this year, Entertainment Weekly said, and Trump is expected to continue as executive producer and host of the program. 

Univision Communications Inc. announced earlier Thursday it would not telecast Trump’s annual Miss USA event next month.

The New York-based company said it is no longer covering the July 12 program in response to Trump’s criticisms of Mexico and illegal immigrants last week.

“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,” Univision said on its website.

Trump countered that he now plans on suing the network for “hundreds of millions of dollars” for breaching its contract with his Miss Universe Organization.

Univision’s decision, he added, resulted from caving to Mexico.

“The Mexican government and others are putting tremendous pressure on Univision to break their signed and fully-effective contract with the Miss Universe Organization,” Trump’s campaign said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

Trump formally launched his presidential campaign June 16 from New York City’s Trump Tower.

He instantly drew criticism from Hispanics over his remarks on Mexico and its immigration crisis.

“They’re sending people who have a lot of problems,” Trump said of illegal immigration. “They bring in drugs, they bring in crime, they’re rapists. I assume some are good people.”