Donald Trump may have brought his reality television expertise to his Presidential campaign, but according to a Vanity Fair journalist, Trump had plans to integrate his political aspirations and his television fame even further.
He was going to launch The Apprentice: White House Edition.
Sarah Ellison appeared on The Takeaway podcast over the weekend to talk about Trump’s unconventional campaign strategy and told the hosts that, in 2011, Trump and his producers at NBC had talked seriously about him continuing to host his reality television contest show from the Oval Office. The Apprentice team actually sat down and turned out a (as Ellison puts it, “somewhat fantastical”) blueprint for how the TV show would look.
Unfortunately for Trump, his 2016 campaign meant an end to his hosting The Apprentice. His duties have now passed on to another Republican political powerhouse, Arnold Schwarzenegger. But that doesn’t mean Trump isn’t laying the groundwork for future television specials from inside or outside 1600 Pennsylvania.
CNN reported late last week that Trump may be gearing up to launch his own information network, designed to help voters and Trump supporters sort through “the liberal media.” Dedicated television networks are notoriously hard to start – just ask Oprah and Trump surrogate Sarah Palin – but a Trump TV network could keep the momentum of Trump’s populist movement going beyond election day, even if he doesn’t win.
It might even take some momentum away from the GOP, which may have to redefine itself in November whether Trump wins or loses.