Donald Trump resigned from a US actors union in typically bombastic fashion after it launched disciplinary action against him.
The former president was accused by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) of endangering its members, some of whom are journalists, during the Capitol riots in Washington DC on January 6.
It found “probable cause” that Mr Trump, a showbiz figure long before he entered politics, had violated the union’s constitution.
Mr Trump was a Sag-Aftra member for more than 30 years thanks to his roles in films such as Home Alone 2 and Zoolander, as well as TV show The Apprentice.
The billionaire businessman, who has been suspended from Twitter and Facebook, resigned from the union in a letter Sag-Aftra shared on its website.
Mr Trump, 74, said: “I write to you today regarding the so-called Disciplinary Committee hearing aimed at revoking my union membership. Who cares!”
Addressing union president Gabrielle Carteris, a former star of Beverly Hills, 90210, Mr Trump wrote: “While I’m not familiar with your work, I’m very proud of my work on movies such as Home Alone 2, Zoolander and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; and television shows including The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, Saturday Night Live, and of course, one of the most successful shows in television history, The Apprentice – to name just a few!”
Mr Trump said he has “greatly helped” the cable news TV business, which he claims was a “dying platform with not much time left” before he entered politics.
He said he created thousands of jobs at “MSDNC and Fake News CNN” before alleging Sag-Aftra’s attempt to discipline him was a “blatant attempt at free media attention to distract from your dismal record as a union”.
Mr Trump wrote: “Your organisation has done little for its members, and nothing for me, besides collecting dues and promoting dangerous unAmerican policies and ideas – as evident by your massive unemployment rates and lawsuits from celebrated actors, who even recorded a video asking, ‘Why
isn’t the union fighting for me?’”
He signed off the letter: “I no longer wish to be associated with your union. “As such, this letter is to inform you of my immediate resignation from Sag-Aftra.
“You have done nothing for me.”
Sag-Aftra responded and said: “Thank you.”