Entertainment

Trump Slams Arnold After Leaving ‘Celebrity Apprentice’: You Were ‘Fired’

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque.

Katie Jerkovich Entertainment Reporter
Font Size:

President Donald Trump said Arnold Schwarzenegger was fired after bringing in “bad (pathetic) ratings” as the host of “New Celebrity Apprentice.”

Early Saturday morning, Trump tweeted his response to the former California governor after the 69-year-old action hero blamed the president on Friday as the reason he had to leave the show. (RELATED: Arnold Schwarzenegger: I Won’t Be Back)

Host Arnold Schwarzenegger poses after a panel for "The New Celebrity Apprentice" in Universal City, California, December 9, 2016. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

Host Arnold Schwarzenegger poses after a panel for “The New Celebrity Apprentice” in Universal City, California, December 9, 2016. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

“Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t voluntarily leaving the Apprentice, he was fired by his bad (pathetic) ratings, not by me. Sad end to great show,” Trump tweeted. (RELATED: Schwarzenegger Backtracks On Wanting To ‘Smash’ Trump’s Face)

 

During an interview with Empire Friday, the actor explained that his leaving was a direct result of the show being unable to garner support from sponsors and viewers because of the Trump’s connection to the show.

“I learned a lot, I had a great time, it was a really great opportunity,” Schwarzenegger said. “But under the circumstances I don’t want to do it again. It’s not about the show.”

“When people found out that Trump was still involved as executive producer and was still receiving money from the show, then half the people started boycotting it,” he added. “Even if asked, I would decline. With Trump being involved in the show people have a bad taste and don’t want to participate as a spectator or as a sponsor or in any other way support the show.”

“It’s a very divisive period now and I think this show got caught up in all that division,” he continued.

The two have been embroiled in a feud ever since Trump asked for prayers for Arnold to improve the ratings during the National Prayer Breakfast last month.

Arnold has since responded to the president’s comment that he was “fired” for bad ratings.

“You should think about hiring a new joke writer and a fact checker,” Schwarzenegger tweeted.

 

Updated: The story has been updated to reflect Schwarzenegger’s comment back to Trump.