Trump proposed a 'white vs black contestants' season of 'The Apprentice' in a recently resurfaced recording - Business Insider

Trump The Apprentice Donald Trump attends the Universal Studios Hollywood Apprentice Casting Call on March 10, 2006 in Universal City, California.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

In 2005, Donald Trump proposed a season of "The Apprentice" that would put an all-black team against an all-white team.
His proposal was immediately rejected by NBC executives, according to The New York Times.
The times discussed this incident in the context of Trump's recent racist tweets directed at four progressive Democrats, who are women of color.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In 2005, Donald Trump had an idea to boost ratings for "The Apprentice," a US TV show that he hosted at the time.

Trump suggested putting an all-white team against an all-black team and he thought it would become the highest-rated show on television.

He floated the idea on Howard Stern's radio show in April 2005, according to The New York Times.

"Do you like it?" Trump asked Stern. To which he replied: "Yes."

Trump then asked Stern's African-American co-host, Robin Quivers, the same question. "Well," she said, "I think you're going to have a riot."

But Trump reportedly didn't have much concern about the possible ramifications of the show. "I think that it would be handled very beautifully by me. Because, as you know, I'm very diplomatic," he said to Stern, adding that while there would be a mix of light-skinned and dark-skinned black contestants, the white team would be strictly blondes only.

The show never came to fruition as, according to The Times, NBC executives immediately rejected his proposal. A spokesperson for NBC did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

The Times used this example in a recent piece that discusses whether Trump has used "race for gain" over the past few years.

"Over decades in business, entertainment and now politics, Mr. Trump has approached America's racial, ethnic, and religious divisions opportunistically, not as the nation's wounds to be healed but as openings to achieve his goals, whether they be ratings, fame, money or power, without regard for adverse consequences," The Times wrote.

The story was prompted by Trump's racist tweets on Sunday, which were directed at four progressive Democrats, who are women of color.

Trump wrote on Twitter that the "'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen" should "go back" to their "corrupt" and "broken and crime infested" countries. Three of the four he appeared to be referencing were born in the US.

He said these congresswomen were "loudly [...] and viciously telling the people of the United States [...] how our government is to be run."

Let's block ads! (Why?)