Amazon is considering rebooting The Apprentice and has discussed casting one of the president’s sons as the host, according to a new report.
The Apprentice, which originally aired on NBC from 2004 to 2017, was once hosted by President Donald Trump. Now, Amazon executives have internally discussed the possibility of the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., hosting a potential reboot, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos appears to have grown closer to the president in recent years — and he was spotted attending the White House state dinner for King Charles and Queen Camilla on Tuesday evening. Amazon also donated to Trump’s new White House ballroom project late last year.
Talks surrounding the project are still in the early stages, and Amazon executives have not yet approached the Trump family about the project, The WSJ reports. If the project is green-lit, it could reportedly air on Amazon Prime Video.
An Amazon spokesperson told The WSJ the show is not being actively developed and executives have not selected any possible hosts.
“Since our acquisition of MGM, we have had preliminary internal discussions about what’s next for ‘The Apprentice’ as a property,” the spokesperson said.
The Independent has contacted Amazon and the Trump Organization for comment.
While Trump was already a well-known New York businessman and real estate mogul, his role hosting The Apprentice — and his infamous “you’re fired!” catchphrase — helped fuel his rise to fame in the 2000s.
NBC ended its relationship with Trump in 2015, a decision which the network attributed to “derogatory statements” he made about immigrants. Trump went on to win the presidency a year later.
This comes after Amazon acquired the Melania documentary, which followed first lady Melania Trump in the days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration. Amazon reportedly paid $40 million to distribute the film.
The documentary, which was received poorly by critics, premiered at the Kennedy Center in January after it was shown at a private White House screening.
“I am deeply humbled to have been surrounded by an inspiring room of friends, family, and cultural iconoclasts at the White House last night. Each of these individuals each brought their unique vision to the world, making a lasting impression,” the first lady said in a statement following the White House screening.
“Our personal stories endure time and serve as a reminder of our mutual obligation to one another. It was an honor to present my new film, MELANIA, ahead of its global launch,” she added.
Bezos was asked last month if Amazon’s involvement in the documentary was part of an effort to gain favor with the Trump administration — a suggestion which he denied, according to the newsletter Status.
