Trump, Macy's part ways amid controversy
Facing pressure to sever its relationship with Donald Trump after the celebrity businessman and presidential candidate disparaged immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere, Macy's (M) on Wednesday said it would no longer carry Trump brand merchandise in its stores.
In launching his campaign for the White House last month, Trump, a Republican who has flirted with running for the presidency multiple times before, referred to Mexican immigrants as "killers and rapists."
The move continues a backlash that last week had Univision canceling its telecast of the Miss USA pageant, which is partially owned by Trump, and cutting its business relationship with the mogul. Trump, in turn, sued Univision for $500 million.
NBCUniversal, which jointly owned Miss USA pageant and Miss Universe pageant with Trump, has also cut its ties with Trump, who will no longer host the reality television show "Celebrity Apprentice," which airs on NBC.
As of late Wednesday morning, nearly 730,000 people had signed a MoveOn.org petition calling on Macy's to cut its ties with Trump.
Calling Trump's statements "inconsistent with Macy's values," the retailer said in a statement that it had decided to "discontinue our business relationship with Mr. Trump and will phase-out the Trump menswear collection, which has been sold at Macy's since 2004."
The Trump attire sold by the department-store chain included neckties, cuff links and dress shirts. Trump also stumped for Macy's in its commercials.
Not one to take rejection lightly, Trump declared in his own statement that it was he and not Macy's that opted to part company, saying that selling his ties and shirts at Macy's "is a small business in terms of dollar volume." Trump offered the added barb that he had "never been happy about the fact that the ties and shirts are made in China."
Trump also accused both the department store and NBC of supporting illegal immigration.