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NBC dumps Trump after incendiary remarks on Mexicans

June 29, 2015 at 2:37 p.m. EDT

(This post has been updated.)

NBCUniversal announced Monday that it would no longer be working with Donald Trump, including on his hit reality show "The Apprentice."

Following the lead of Spanish-language broadcaster Univision, which severed its partnership with Trump last week, NBC cited Trump's "recent derogatory statements" about Mexican immigrants.

NBC, like Univision, said it will no longer air the Trump-partnered pageants Miss USA and Miss Universe.

[Univision cuts all ties with Donald Trump over immigrant ‘rapist’ comments]

Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" had been renewed, but was on hold as Trump formally launched a campaign to seek the Republican nomination for president. NBC noted in a statement that Trump would not be participating in the program, but that the show would continue.

Over the weekend, a number of Hispanic groups put pressure on NBC to cut off Trump after his comments at his June 16 presidential announcement rally that immigrants coming over the U.S.-Mexican border were "rapists" and drug dealers.

Soon after NBC's announcement, Trump released a statement doubling down on his remarks and criticizing the network.

“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," he said. "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.”

NBC had initially tried to distance itself from Trump's remarks, saying it did not share his views. But a Change.org petition calling on NBC to "Cancel Miss USA, Miss Universe, and the Apprentice" gained more than 200,000 signatures.

Trump’s attorney was not immediately available for comment.

In an interview earlier this month about the future of "The Apprentice," Trump said, “I love NBC, we’ve had a tremendous success together but I have to do what I’m doing now.” It was unclear then whether NBC would wait to see how Trump's presidential run played out before deciding on another host.

Trump has refused to walk back his controversial comments, but in an interview on CNN’s "State of the Union" on Sunday, said he still believes a large percentage of undocumented immigrants are criminals, but “it’s not Mexicans, necessarily. They’re coming from all over.”

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who in some polls is the only Republican narrowly ahead of Trump, initially smiled and turned away when told by reporters about NBC's decision, but then added: "He's worth nine billion bucks so he'll be able to survive."

Running for president might just prove to be a bad business for the Trump empire. As Trump loses his media partnerships, there is also an ongoing effort to convince Macy's to drop Trump's clothing line. The chain sells Trump brand ties, dress shirts, fragrances, and home goods, as well as his daughter Ivanka Trump's shoes and women's clothing. That petition, on MoveOn.org, has close to 700,000 signatures.

Angelo Carusone, the executive vice president of Media Matters, led the first Macy's "Dump Trump" campaign in 2012 after Trump offered to give money to a charity of President Obama's choice if Obama released his long form birth certificate. Carusone said he planned to re-up the campaign after Trump's presidential announcement.

"Macy's always had cover from NBC to the extent that it was willing to maintain that relationship," Carusone said. "Not only has Macy's just lost that cover, but NBC made it about values when they made that decision. Now (Macy's) on the hook for the same values question."

Macy's did not immediately return request for comment.

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 Ed O’Keefe contributed to this story.