Amazon Considers Rebooting The Apprentice with Donald Trump Jr. as Host

Amazon is reportedly exploring the idea of restarting The Apprentice, with Donald Trump Jr. possibly stepping in as the host for the reality series that significantly raised his father’s profile.

According to The Wall Street Journal, discussions are happening internally at Amazon about this potential reboot, although these talks are still quite informal, and there’s yet to be an official approach towards the Trump family.

If it goes forward, the new version would be available for streaming on Prime Video, which inherited the show’s catalog after Amazon’s acquisition of MGM last year.

Originally launched in 2004, The Apprentice garnered about 20 million viewers at its peak, helping to reshape Donald Trump’s image as a prominent businessman.

Jeff Zucker, who headed NBC at the time, played a crucial role in supporting the show and Trump as its main figure, which notably enhanced Trump’s presence on the national stage.

In a twist, Zucker later took the reins at CNN, a network that Trump frequently criticized as “fake news” during his presidency.

Amazon’s interest in reviving The Apprentice follows its significant financial commitment to a documentary focused on Melania Trump, an endeavor that raised eyebrows both in Hollywood and Washington.

The company invested $40 million for the documentary rights, which covers the first lady’s experiences around her husband’s second term, far surpassing other offers.

Additionally, Amazon allocated roughly $35 million for global marketing, including promotional ads during NFL games and a substantial theatrical rollout.

This project has led to some internal scrutiny at Amazon, with employees questioning the rationale behind such hefty spending and the ethics of collaborating with the current First Family.

Critics noted that Melania Trump supposedly had editorial oversight of the film, suggesting it muddles the boundaries between documentary filmmaking and political narrative.

Amazon responded to these concerns by stating that their only motivation for the project was the belief that it would resonate with their customers.

Interestingly, the relationship between Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, and President Trump has shifted significantly during Trump’s second term, evolving from overt conflict to what some view as a practical partnership.

Bezos, who remains Amazon’s largest shareholder, has since adopted a more conciliatory stance, commending Trump’s “extraordinary political comeback” and expressing an openness to work with an administration focused on deregulation.

This evolution is occurring alongside major advancements for Amazon, including significant federal contracts related to AI and cloud services, amid ongoing scrutiny from regulators like the Federal Trade Commission.

Additionally, Bezos’ ownership of the Washington Post has drawn criticism, especially after his decision to block Vice President Kamala Harris’ endorsement and refocus on the opinion section, which has led to the resignation of its top news editor and around 250,000 lost subscribers, alongside yearly deficits exceeding $100 million.

The Washington Post has reached out to Amazon, the White House, Donald Trump Jr., and the Trump Organization for comments.