Trump rehomes Miss USA

US cablenet Reelz has picked up the rights to the Miss USA pageant in a cut-price deal after the competition was dropped by NBC amid the furore surrounding comments from Donald Trump.

US Hispanic broadcaster Univision and broadcast network NBC both pulled out of broadcasting the event, which is co-owned by Trump and NBCUniversal, earlier this week.

It followed inflammatory remarks from the host of The Celebrity Apprentice and US presidential candidate that Mexican immigrants into the US “have lots of problems and are bringing those problems to us.”

“They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists,” he continued, “and some, I assume, are good people.”

Seeing an opportunity, Reelz has agreed to air the pageant on July 12 in a cut-price deal worth no more than US$100,000, according to reports in the US.

Reelz CEO Stan E Hubbard said: “The decision on the part of Reelz to acquire the rights to the Miss USA Pageant was based on our belief that this special event, and the women who compete in it, are an integral part of American tradition.

“As one of only a few independent networks, we decided to exercise our own voice and committed ourselves to bringing this pageant to American viewers everywhere.”

Trump has said he will sue Univision for what he claims is a breach of contract.