Trump's Dismissal of Kamala: Journey from Casinos, TV Shows to the Oval Office
Donald Trump's foray into reality television, particularly his role in **The Apprentice**, played a pivotal part in his journey towards political success and ultimately, the presidency. Here's a look at how this popular show contributed to Trump's meteoric rise.
## Building a Public Persona
The show helped create a myth of Trump as a successful and astute businessman. Despite being largely exaggerated, this portrayal was effective in shaping public perception and fostering trust among viewers. Trump's celebrity status, resulting from the show, was instrumental in connecting with a broad audience, essential for his political aspirations.
## Financial and Branding Opportunities
**The Apprentice** provided Trump with a platform to promote his brand and enterprises, earning substantial income from promotional fees and licensing deals. He leveraged the show to expand his brand globally, licensing his name to luxury properties and products, maintaining the illusion of wealth and success.
## Political Foundation
Trump's popularity on **The Apprentice** translated into a populist appeal, enabling him to connect with a wide audience beyond traditional political circles. His brash, outspoken style resonated with many viewers, who saw him as a straight-talking, successful businessman. The experience on reality TV taught Trump how to manipulate media narratives and garner attention, skills he later employed effectively in his political campaigns.
Despite Trump's character in TV shows and films often being portrayed as a paradigm of wealth and success, it's important to note that he applied for five of his six Chapter 11 bankruptcies between 1991 and 2004. Trump's departure from **The Apprentice** was prompted by his controversial comments about Mexican immigrants in 2015.
Many tasks on **The Apprentice** focused on specific brands or products, supplementing Trump's earnings from the show. The first episode of **The Apprentice** aired on January 8, 2004, attracting 18 million viewers. The show was hailed by critics as one of the best shows of the year, alongside shows like House, Lost, Desperate Housewives, and The Sopranos. The show continued to attract around 20 million viewers for the rest of the season.
The creators of **The Apprentice** admit that the man who starred in the first episode was a significant departure from the star he'd become when the show ended. John Miller, the former Chief Marketing Officer at NBC, believes that **The Apprentice** was instrumental in Trump's decision to run for President in 2016. Trump's reality TV career, particularly his role in **The Apprentice**, proved to be a crucial stepping stone in his journey to political stardom.
- The success and popularity gained from his role in "The Apprentice" not only led to Trump's public persona as a successful businessman but also positioned him as a celebrity, expanding his reach to general news and entertainment audiences, potentially influencing his political aspirations.
- Apart from shaping Trump's public persona, "The Apprentice" served as a lucrative platform for Trump, providing opportunities to promote his brand and enterprises, and generating income through promotional fees and licensing deals, contributing to his global brand expansion.
- By leveraging the platform of "The Apprentice," Trump developed a populist appeal, bridging the gap between reality television and politics. His controversial remarks and brash style, cultivated on the show, set the stage for his political career, where he utilised media manipulation and attention-grabbing strategies to gain support, particularly in policy-and-legislation and politics discourses.
