The Donald, Trumped

English: Donald Trump at a press conference announcing David Blaine's latest feat in New York City at the Trump Tower. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Right now, there are almost as many Republicans running for the White House in 2016 as there are in the entire roster of the World Cup-winning U.S. women's soccer team.

One of them (the candidates, not the soccer team) is Donald Trump, self-styled billionaire and TV personality who puts his name on almost everything he touches, whether it's hotels, golf courses or beauty pageants.  He's also been known to lose a lot of money, whether it's through bankruptcy, bad business decisions or costly divorces.

Trump is making another run at the presidency, focusing on America's immigration policy.  Only this time, instead of making a big deal out of President Barack Obama showing his birth certificate to prove he's a real American, Trump's been chastising Mexico for allegedly sending their 'criminals' and 'rapists' across the border.

Cue the backlash.  Thus far several companies, TV networks and other semi-notables have ended their business relationship with Trump because of his remarks.  The Miss USA Pageant, which was dropped by NBC, has been picked up by a small satellite network called Reelz Channel--which just happens to be owned by Minnesota-based Hubbard Broadcasting. 

Surprisingly, instead of sounding the death knell for his campaign, Trump has received enough support to put himself at or near the top of the GOP field.  He's even been praised in some quarters for putting the immigration issue front and center, while all the other candidates seem to be dancing around it.  Ever defiant in defense of his Mexico remarks, Trump told NBC News that he expects to win the Latino vote once he wins the nomination.

This isn't to say most political pundits are going to give Trump a snowball's chance of being President.  Not in a New York minute.  The experts point out that Trump's celebrity status, business track record and blunt talk will come back to bite him big time as primary and caucus season nears.  Voters are more likely to choose someone who doesn't rock the boat so much, or carries loads of baggage.  That doesn't bode well for Trump.

Which means that Donald Trump is more likely to mend fences with his former business partners, rather than to strengthen the ones that run across the U.S.-Mexico border.  Once people get tired of him, he'll be slinking back to his boardroom wondering why America "fired" him.