Doğan Group slams Trump for remarks

ISTANBUL

The Doğan Group has condemned U.S. Republican candidate Donald Trump’s recent controversial remarks about Islam and Muslims, saying their economic ties with Trump cannot continue as before.

Speaking on behalf of the Doğan Group, Vice Chairwoman Hanzade Doğan Boyner said she wrote in a letter to Trump officials that she as a “devout Muslim” criticized Trump.

“Like millions of Muslims throughout the world I believe that Islam is a faith of peace and tolerance. It preaches harmonious relations among mankind, irrespective of creed, color and belief. The exploitation of our religion by some radical groups for purposes of terrorism is unacceptable and can in no way be related to the basic tenets of Islam. It would be a fallacy to transform the legitimate fight against terror into a war against Islam,” Doğan Boyner wrote in her first of two letters she sent to Trump, right after his remarks.

On Dec. 7, Trump called for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the United States, “until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.”

“We have no choice,” he had said.

Stating that the reason they had previously chosen a partnership with the Trump brand was “because the brand represented prestigious, luxurious real estate,” Doğan Boyner said this brand had become a political brand with his presidential campaign.

“The Trump name has become a political brand, associated with values that - like the Turkish public and millions around the world - we don’t share and we don’t want to be associated with.”

She added that a team from the Doğan Group would be traveling to New York to meet with representatives of the Trump Group to talk about what needs to be done.