The mega-department store Macy’s is severing its business relationship with Donald Trump.
The company released a statement Wednesday morning: “Macy’s is a company that stands for diversity and inclusion. We have no tolerance for discrimination in any form. We welcome all customers, and respect for the dignity of all people is a cornerstone of our culture. We are disappointed and distressed by recent remarks about immigrants from Mexico.”
The decision is following an online petition from Moveon.org which garnered over 729,000 signatures to end Macy’s relationship with Trump following his statements in a speech he gave June 16: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best; they’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Trump claimed that he was the one to terminate the relationship, citing “outside sources.”
JUST IN: Trump responds to Macy's, says he decided to terminate relationship due to pressure from "outside sources" pic.twitter.com/OB6lXuUDTE
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Macy’s isn’t the first big business to distance themselves from Trump. Last week, Univision said it would no longer be airing the Miss Universe pageant which is co-owned by Trump. Trump fired back with a $500 million lawsuit against Univision, calling it a “thinly veiled attempt” to stifle Trump’s freedom of speech in order to boost Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
Trump refused to back down from his comments: “Nothing that I stated was different from what I have been saying for many years. There is a high level of crime occurring in this country due to unchecked illegal immigration.”
Univision called the lawsuit “both factually false and legally ridiculous,” and said it would vigorously defend itself.