WASHINGTON – In his post-presidency, President Trump said he will return to New York City, but he won’t relaunch “The Apprentice.”
“No. No. Arnold put that out of business,” the president said referring to actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who took over the NBC reality show franchise.
The president said he’s kept his distance from the Big Apple since taking office because of the disruption his visits cause.
“A lot of times I stay in New Jersey at the club because it’s 2,000 acres. And they have plenty of room. I stay there not because of any reason other then I feel so guilty when I go into New York,” he said.
“They close down the city. I feel guilty because I remember when Obama would come in I’d say what the hell is he coming. He’d come in. The traffic. With me it’s even worse. They close down an even bigger section. So that’s the reason I do that. I love New York, I miss New York.”
“The Apprentice” was on the president’s mind as he explained why he thought he wouldn’t be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his work with North Korea.
“Well, they’ll never give it to me. We should have gotten the Emmy for ‘The Apprentice,’ you know?” Trump said. “I had the No. 1 show, ‘The Apprentice.’ Arnold Schwarzenegger blew it. Big movie star. It was dead in two nights. I had it for 14 seasons.”
Trump recalled being at The Emmys after “The Apprentice’s” first season in 2004 when the show lost to “The Amazing Race.” It lost to “The Amazing Race” in 2005 as well.
“So they’re saying he’s done a magnificent job, this show has gone to the top of the heap … and the winner is, and I stood up … and they said ‘Amazing Race’ and I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding?’ That show was terrible,” Trump said. “ ‘Amazing Race’ got it because ‘Amazing Race’ was the establishment.”