Omarosa Backs Ivanka Trump Over Don Jr. for ‘Apprentice’ Reboot Host Role

Omarosa Manigault Newman, widely known as Omarosa, has voiced strong support for a reboot of The Apprentice, but only if Ivanka Trump is chosen as host instead of her brother, Donald Trump Jr.

The former reality TV star, who participated in the original season of The Apprentice and its spinoff The Celebrity Apprentice, shared her perspective on May 2, 2026, during an appearance on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront.

“I’m not surprised about the talk of resurrecting The Apprentice, because it was a really good show,”

Omarosa stated. She then expressed skepticism about the reported consideration of Don Jr. as host, calling it “the most surprising aspect of the story.”

Omarosa argued that the original show’s success was tied to the elder Trump’s business empire, citing his golf courses and hotels as examples. She questioned Don Jr.’s qualifications by asking:

“What will Don Jr. talk about in terms of his business successes? Of course, he’s worked for his father, but I don’t know that he’s had his own individual success.”

In contrast, Omarosa praised Ivanka’s leadership potential, highlighting her business ventures and leadership skills:

• Clothing line
• Jewelry line
• Planet Harvest initiative

“She has good business acumen,” Omarosa continued. “She’s really sharp in the boardroom.”

Omarosa’s remarks followed a May 1, 2026 report by The Wall Street Journal, which revealed that Amazon executives were in early-stage discussions about an Apprentice reboot with Don Jr. as a potential host. According to the outlet, Amazon had not yet approached the Trump family about the project.

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that the company had only held “preliminary internal discussions” about the future of The Apprentice since acquiring MGM. The spokesperson emphasized that no host had been selected and the reboot was not in active development.

The original The Apprentice, hosted by Donald Trump, aired from 2008 to 2015 on NBC and became a cultural phenomenon, popularizing his catchphrase, “You’re fired.” The show also spawned The Celebrity Apprentice, which ran for eight seasons from 2008 to 2017.

While both Ivanka and Don Jr. appeared as boardroom advisors and guest judges, Ivanka participated in 87 episodes, compared to Don Jr.’s involvement in over 70 episodes.