NEW YORK — Donald Trump spokesman Michael Cohen confirmed the Republican presidential hopeful has purchased NBC's half of the Miss Universe Organization and settled all lawsuits against the media company.
The move, which Trump announced on Twitter, gives him full ownership of the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants and completes a split begun in June when NBC announced it was ending its business relationship with Trump, who had starred on the network as host of The Celebrity Apprentice.
The network had said it was severing ties with Trump because of comments he made about Mexican immigrants during the announcement of his presidential campaign.
At the time, NBC said it would no longer air the annual Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, and Trump sued.