Don’t expect a new season this fall: Donald Trump is giving up “The Apprentice” so that he can run for president.
The Republican real estate mogul cited the popular reality show as evidence that he “gave up hundreds of millions of dollars in deals and potential, you know, things that I do,” in an interview aired Sunday with CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
“In all fairness, I don’t want it to sound trivial, NBC renewed ‘The Apprentice,’ because we had a great season last season. And they would love me not to be doing this, I will tell you right now,” Trump said.
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“I mean the top people come to my office and they said, ‘Please do this,’” he boasted of NBC executives, adding that because of his presidential run, “essentially, legally, I’m not allowed to do it.”
Running for president is affecting Trump’s bottom line in other ways, as well.
Univision canceled its broadcast of Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, which Trump partially owns, over his controversial remarks about Mexicans in his campaign announcement speech.
“They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists,” he said at the time. “And some, I assume, are good people.”
Trump has said he plans to sue Univision over its move.