It looks like Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States could cost him early; if not in the polls, than at least in his wallet.
Turkish billionaire Aydın Doğan announced yesterday that he’s reviewing his ties to Trump. Doğan is in charge of the Turkish franchise of Trump Towers. The building is an asymmetrical glass commercial and residential complex built by Doğan, but he pays Trump for the brand name. He’s now reconsidering that deal.
The manager of Trump shopping mall in the building, Bülent Kural, explains:
We regret and condemn Trump’s discriminatory remarks. Such statements bear no value and are products of a mind that does not understand Islam, a peace religion, at all.
He added that Doğan has expressed these concerns directly “to the Trump family. We are reviewing the legal dimension of our relation with Trump brand.”
Bill Rand (bron: Flickr)
Trump’s comments have not only sparked a debate in the United States itself, but also in the rest of the world, and especially in the Middle East. Turkish and Arab newspapers continue to use it to depict the American people — although especially Republicans — as ‘Islamophobic.’
Trump’s Turkish business partners aren’t the only ones looking to severe ties with the Republican presidential candidate:
The image and name of American presidential hopeful Donald Trump were gone Friday from parts of a golf course and housing development under construction in Dubai over his comments about banning Muslims from traveling to the United States.
As of yet it is not clear whether the company involved will outright break the contract.
Earlier this week, Dubai-based Landmark Group already announced it would pull all Trump home decor products from its Lifestyle stores. It’s quite likely that more of his Muslim partners will follow suit; if not because they want to, then because their own countrymen and co-religionists are putting pressure on them to do so.
