Trump Responds to Speculations About Don Jr. Hosting Apprentice Reboot
Former President Donald Trump is quite optimistic that his son Donald Trump Jr. could take the reins of the anticipated Apprentice revival.
“We had tremendous success,” Trump, 79, stated from the Oval Office on Thursday, April 30. “Fourteen seasons, and The Apprentice was a notable success. I’ve been hearing some rumblings about this, so we’ll see where it goes.”
He described his eldest son as “a good guy” who would “likely” be an excellent choice for the hosting role.
“He’s got some charisma,” he mentioned. “You need a dose of charisma for that show. So, let’s see what unfolds.”
The Apprentice aired on NBC for 14 seasons, from 2004 to 2015. Trump was the host of the show, which led to spinoffs like Celebrity Apprentice and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Contestants vied for a $250,000 prize and a one-year contract to represent one of Trump’s properties, with Trump famously saying, “You’re fired,” to those who were eliminated.
Several reports surfaced last month about a potential revival of the reality show on Prime Video, with Don Jr., 48, considered for the hosting duties.
“After our acquisition of MGM, we have had some initial discussions about the future of The Apprentice as a brand,” an Amazon spokesperson shared with Variety on April 30. “Currently, the show is not in active development, and any reports about the show’s details or potential hosts are purely speculative.”
Previously, Trump had indicated that he would consider his daughter, Ivanka Trump, as the ideal candidate to host The Apprentice.
“I said, ‘The best person to bring on board would be Ivanka Trump,’” he noted in the 2024 book Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass. “I didn’t push it, but I truly believed Ivanka would be the best person for the role.”
The next generation! Donald Trump and ex-wife Ivana Trump’s three children — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump — are actively engaged in business and political careers while managing their own families. “If I’m busy with a significant deal in the office, I’m there. If [my daughter] Arabella needs me, I’ve got to be there…”
Trump stepped away from the show to pursue his political career in 2015. When The Apprentice returned for its final celebrity season in 2017, Arnold Schwarzenegger took over as host. Nevertheless, Trump remained involved as an executive producer.
Schwarzenegger speculated that Trump’s ongoing participation may have contributed to the show’s disappointing ratings for that final season, partly due to his controversial political campaign.
“It’s not about the show… because everyone I encountered said, ‘I love the show… but I stopped watching it because the moment I see Trump’s name, I’m done!’” Schwarzenegger remarked to Empire in 2017. “It’s a very divisive time, and I believe this show got caught up in that division.”
