Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch discussed the acquisition of “The Apprentice,” the NBC business reality show that made donald trump a household name, following the former president’s electoral defeat in 2020 for Joe Bidenaccording to new court documents.
In an affidavit as part of Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against foxnewsIn coverage of Trump’s false claims of voter fraud, Murdoch revealed that he had discussed the idea with his son and Fox chief executive, Lachlan Murdoch, the Murdoch-owned newspaper reported. Wall Street Journal Thursday.
The father and son even met with the show’s producer, Mark Burnett, who had previously sold the rights for the MGM show.
But in the end, the idea fizzled out.
It’s unclear what, if anything, Trump knew about the idea, or whether the Murdochs wanted to revive the show or simply authorize reruns.
Rupert Murdoch later expressed fear that Trump could “kill” the show by making it “a full-time campaign vehicle,” according to his statement.
“We just got over the idea,” Murdoch said under oath. “You have a lot of crazy ideas in business. We talk about it, we do something, or we don’t.”
Murdoch rejected the suggestion that acquiring the rights could “satisfy” Trump, who after his 2020 defeat turned on Fox News and Murdoch and encouraged his supporters to watch other right-wing channels.
Beginning in 2004, Trump hosted “The Apprentice” for 14 seasons on NBC.
However, the network rejected him in 2015 for his inflammatory and divisive rhetoric when he launched his bid for the White House in 2016.
Action movie star turned Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger hosted the fifteenth and final season in 2017, during which he was repeatedly attacked by then-President Trump over ratings.
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