Billionaire presidential candidate Donald Trump reacted to the Miss Universe pageant catastrophe after host Steve Harvey mistakenly named Miss Colombia the winner. The crown was eventually taken away from Miss Colombia and given to Miss Philippines after Harvey admitted his mistake.
“It certainly was a terrible error, terrible for the young woman from Colombia, but, you know, things happen, it’s live television,” Trump said, in an interview with the Today Show’s Matt Lauer this morning.
Trump advised the pageant organizers to host a ceremony and give Miss Colombia a crown too.
“I tell you what I think I’d do, I think I’d make them a co-winner, it would be very cool,” he said.
He described the situation as “devastating” for the people of Colombia, who were already struggling with a chaotic political situation in their country.
“I would recommend that they go have a beautiful ceremony, which is good for the brand, and good for Miss Universe and do a co-winner,” he said. “And I think something like that could work maybe.”
Trump praised Steve Harvey as a “terrific” guy and the new owners of the pageant as “tremendous people” but admitted that mistakes happen on live television.
On Twitter, Trump also weighed in:
“Very sad what happened last night at the Miss Universe Pageant,” he said. “I sold it 6 months ago for a record price. This would never have happened!”