The Apprentice May Return, With a Different Trump

Amazon is toying with the idea of bringing back the show that helped launch President Trump's TV fame—and handing the boardroom to his eldest son. The company has held early internal talks about reviving The Apprentice for Prime Video with Donald Trump Jr. as a possible host, people familiar with the discussions tell the Wall Street Journal, noting the talks began early last year. The Trump family reportedly has not been approached. An Amazon rep says there were "preliminary internal discussions" about next steps for The Apprentice, which saw contestants compete to work for Donald Trump, but the show "is not in active development."

The talks follow Amazon's $40 million deal for Melania, a documentary about the lead up to the first lady's second term that sparked internal scrutiny over its price and her reported profit share of more than 70%. Amazon, which gained rights to The Apprentice when it bought MGM, rushed those episodes onto Prime Video after Trump's 2024 election win and has been pursuing other programming that could resonate with his supporters, including faith-based content. Trump Productions co-owns the rights to The Apprentice, which continues to generate six figures in annual income for Trump, per the Hollywood Reporter. The reported reboot discussions come as Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos has grown closer to Trump, attending state dinners.