Donald Trump Allegedly Left The Apprentice Crew Mortified With A Racial Slur
Whether it's Donald Trump inspiring one of the VIPs of "Squid Game" or "The Big Bang Theory" sneaking in a Trump reference, there's often a story or two circulating about the former president in the entertainment industry. Sometimes, Trump gets in on the action himself, such as when he fired back at claims that he bullied his way into "Home Alone 2." Now, considerably more unsavory allegations about Trump's actions — or rather, the language he used — during his days as the host of NBC's "The Apprentice" have come to light.
This comes courtesy of Bill Pruitt, one of the producers behind the show's Season 1 and Season 2. In an article he wrote for Slate, Pruitt recounted his experiences with Trump, including one time when the host shocked the crew by using a racial slur while discussing a Black contestant. "Yeah, but, I mean, would America buy a n***** winning?" Pruitt described Trump asking the stunned people around him while discussing whether "The Apprentice" Season 1 finalist Kwame Jackson should win. Jackson ultimately came second.
Pruitt says the reason he's speaking out only now is that his hands were previously tied by a very strict nondisclosure agreement, which he couldn't break on pain of a $5 million fine and other potential repercussions. According to him, the 20-year agreement expired in 2024.
Others have made similar allegations about Trump's behavior while filming The Apprentice
Bill Pruitt isn't the only person who has spoken out against Donald Trump's alleged use of racist language. In 2016, actor Tom Arnold said in an interview with the radio station KIRO that he has actual footage of Trump using various racist and sexist slurs. "I have the outtakes to 'The Apprentice' where he says every bad thing ever, every offensive, racist thing ever. It was him sitting in that chair saying the N-word, saying the C-word, calling his son a retard, just being so mean to his own children," Arnold said (via The Guardian).
At the time, Pruitt took part in the discourse via X, formerly known as Twitter. "As a producer on seasons 1 & 2 of #theapprentice I assure you: when it comes to the #trumptapes there are far worse. #justthebegininng," Pruitt tweeted.
In 2018, Omarosa Manigault Newman — "The Apprentice" Season 1 contestant and former director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison at Trump's White House — also expressed certainty that these "Apprentice" tapes exist in her memoir, "Unhinged." While she didn't confirm that she had personally heard Trump using racial slurs while filming "The Apprentice," she did describe an occasion when he used them while discussing senior presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway's husband, George Conway.
As it stands, however, solid proof has eluded such comments. In 2018, Arnold clarified that the tape he was talking about was behind a now-disappeared temporary online link and hasn't surfaced since. Trump was quick to deny Manigault Newman's allegations in 2018. Likewise, Steven Cheung of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign has dismissed this and other allegations Pruitt makes in the Slate article, and both NBC and other makers of "The Apprentice" neglected to comment for it.