In Apprentice in Wonderland, by Ramin Setoodeh, Donald Trump addresses the long-rumored hot-mic tape from NBC’s The Apprentice, in which he supposedly uses the n-word. Trump brings up the topic only to firmly deny the existence of such a tape.
Setoodeh’s book delves into Trump’s rise to fame through The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice, highlighting his transition from reality TV star to political figure. Interviews for the book were conducted from 2021, shortly after Trump left office, to 2023, when his bid for a third consecutive GOP nomination was becoming apparent.
Trump’s political enemies, including Anthony Fauci, are prominently featured in the book. Trump criticizes Fauci, the public face of the fight against COVID-19, claiming Fauci was wrong on everything. Setoodeh’s focus, however, remains on Trump’s celebrity interactions.
Among the celebrities, Trump has a surprising fixation on Debra Messing, former star of NBC’s Will & Grace. Trump’s apparent long-standing crush on Messing has turned sour since she became a vocal critic of his political career. Despite his praise for her attractiveness during The Apprentice years, Trump now derides Messing, calling her a “raving mess” on social media.
On the topic of the supposed hot-mic tape, Trump vehemently denies its existence. He references Omarosa Manigault, a former Apprentice contestant and White House aide, who claimed to have heard the tape. Trump insists there are no such tapes and suggests that if they existed, they would have surfaced by now. He emphatically states that he has never used the n-word, especially not while being recorded, and dismisses the rumors as baseless.
