Donald Trump turns Miss Universe crowning fail into campaign gold

 By 
Emily Cahn
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

If Donald Trump still owned the Miss Universe pageant, Sunday night's epic mistake would not have taken place.

At least that's what Trump suggested Monday morning, after host Steve Harvey mistakenly crowned Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo the winner.

Very sad what happened last night at the Miss Universe Pageant. I sold it 6 months ago for a record price. This would never have happened!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2015

Trump owned the Miss Universe organization — which includes the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants — up until September, when he sold it to IMG.

In a series of Twitter missives Sunday night, Trump at first praised the group handling the pageant, and then quickly ridiculed them after the crowning catastrophe.

My friend, @AriEmanuel of @IMG, bought the Miss Universe pageants from me and they are on tonight on #Fox! Tune in!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2015

Trump has made his business success a pillar of his campaign, touting his deal-making skills and stressing that he rarely, if ever, makes mistakes.

That message has stuck with Twitter users, some of whom tweeted that the pageant wouldn't have gone off the rails had Trump still owned it

Ironically, this mess wouldn't have happened if #DonaldTrump was running the #missuniverse pageant! Somewhere, he's yelling 'you're fired!'— SandyT (@sassygirlcanada) December 21, 2015

If Donald Trump still owned the miss universe pageant that never would have happened— Nate Stricker (@1natestricker) December 21, 2015

Looks like there may be something else Donald Trump may need to make great again besides our country: Miss Universe Pageant.— JimmyJohnson (@CoachJPJohnson) December 21, 2015

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