If Paulina Vega were a contestant on The Apprentice, this is the moment she'd probably be fired. The reigning Miss Universe roused the ire of pageant co-owner Donald Trump over the weekend after she criticized him for the controversial comments he'd made about immigration.
The Colombian beauty queen, 22, took to Instagram on Thursday, July 2, to voice her opinion about Trump's opinion. She joined many, many others — including NBC, Macy's, Univision, and the Miss USA pageant's co-hosts and judges — who've distanced themselves from the Republican presidential hopeful in recent weeks.
"As a Colombian and Miss Universe, I want to show my support and validate the sentiments of the Latin community," Vega wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her Miss Universe sash, which she won at the 2014 pageant.
She went on to note that the Miss Universe pageant works independently of Trump, and that she would not have accepted the crown if the organization "shared any anti-Latin sentiments or any type of racial biases."
"I strongly believe that dividing and categorizing humankind only holds it back," she wrote. "Bending and embracing the differences that exist across humanity is the first step in actual and substantial development. We must strive together in order to improve the common good."
Trump, 69, hit back two days later via Twitter, slamming Vega as a "hypocrite."
Miss Universe, Paulina Vega, criticized me for telling the truth about illegal immigration, but then said she would keep the crown-Hypocrite
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2015
The real-estate magnate has been on the defense for weeks now, ever since he made some insensitive remarks about people immigrating to the U.S. from Mexico. Because of his speech, the July 12 Miss USA pageant was dropped from NBC and Univision. In response, he filed a $500 million lawsuit against the latter, and has threatened legal action against NBC, as well.