Donald Trump
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US President Donald Trump appeared cautious when asked about reports that his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., could front a revived version of the reality TV series The Apprentice.

During a recent exchange with reporters, the US president offered only measured praise, suggesting his son 'would probably be good' rather than giving an enthusiastic endorsement, according to a report by The Guardian.

In a recent Wall Street Journal report, Amazon execs have initiated internal talks about a possible revival of the reality TV show The Apprentice, which catapulted Donald Trump to national fame in 2004.

Trump Gives Lukewarm Response

When asked about the reports, Trump did not offer enthusiastic push for his son, instead giving what many observers described as a measured response.

According to coverage of his remarks, he said Trump Jr. had some charisma and would 'probably' do well in the role, but stopped short of strongly backing the idea.

A reporter asked the president on Thursday at the Oval Office, to which he responded, 'Well, I've been hearing it. So we'll see what happens. He's good. He's a good guy. He's probably good. He's got a little charisma going.'

The original apprentice premiered on 8 January 2004 and ran through 2015 on NBC, turning Trump into a mainstream television figure known for his boardroom persona and catchphrase, 'You're fired.'

Amazon Downplays Apprentice Reboot Talks

Amazon, however, has attempted to cool speculation. A spokesperson said the series reboot is not currently in active development while acknowledging that early internal conversations have taken place since the company acquired MGM and its entertainment assets in 2022.

'Any reporting on details of the show or names of potential hosts would be purely speculative,' the spokesperson said.

A revival of the show featuring a member of the Trump family would likely be viewed as another sign that Amazon is seeking to strengthen ties with the Trumps following its backing of Melania, Brett Ratner's documentary centred on the First Lady.

Reports said Amazon paid $40 million (around £29.3 million) for distribution rights to the film, along with an unaired docuseries package, exceeding the next highest bid from Disney by $26 million (roughly £19.2 million).

The company was also reported to have spent an additional $35 million (approximately £25.9 million) promoting the project, which ended up making $16 million (roughly £11.85 million) at the box office.

The scale of that investment prompted some commentators to question whether the overall outlay reflected more than standard entertainment business calculations.

Trump-Era Reality Hit Spawned Global Spin-Offs

The Apprentice became a major ratings success and later expanded into multiple spin-offs across both the United States and international markets. Donald Trump served as the show's host until 2015, when he stepped away ahead of his presidential campaign, though he continued to hold an executive producer role on the franchise, per The Guardian.

In 2017, the series returned in a revamped format titled The New Celebrity Apprentice, with Arnold Schwarzenegger taking over hosting duties, However, his run lasted only one season, with reports noting that Trump publicly criticised the show and its new host on social media during that period.