President-elect Trump rejected reports that he would continue working on reality show “Celebrity Apprentice” after he is sworn into office in a tweet storm Saturday morning.
After reports that Trump would hold onto his title of executive producer for “Celebrity Apprentice” surfaced Thursday, Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway suggested to CNN Friday that he will work on the NBC reality TV show in his spare time. However, in a tweet storm early Saturday, Trump railed against the report, calling it “fake news.”
“I have NOTHING to do with The Apprentice except for fact that I conceived it with Mark B & have a big stake in it. Will devote ZERO TIME!” he tweeted.
“Reports by @CNN that I will be working on The Apprentice during my Presidency, even part time, are rediculous & untrue – FAKE NEWS!” he added. Trump later deleted that tweet and tweeted a version with “ridiculous” spelled correctly.
Reports by @CNN that I will be working on The Apprentice during my Presidency, even part time, are ridiculous & untrue – FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2016
I have NOTHING to do with The Apprentice except for fact that I conceived it with Mark B & have a big stake in it. Will devote ZERO TIME!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2016
It is unclear which CNN report Trump is attacking in his tweet. However, Conway had appeared on CNN’s “New Day” Friday evening to speak on the report, comparing Trump’s role in “Celebrity Apprentice” to that of President Obama’s golfing trips.
“I mean, presidents have a right to do things in their spare time or their leisure time, I mean nobody objects to that,” Conway said.
Trump and creator Mark Burnett are credited by MGM and NBC as executive producers, as well as current host, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-Calif., according to a report by Variety.
MGM will compensate Trump directly for his role, and Variety said he would receive something in the “low five-figures” for each episode. Conway on Friday said it was “doubtful” that the president-elect will collect a salary from “Celebrity Apprentice.” Trump’s press secretary Hope Hicks said more information about Trump’s business interests will be shared with the public on Dec. 15.
