Former NBC marketing executive John D. Miller recently shared his thoughts on Donald Trump‘s rise to fame through the reality show, The Apprentice. Miller explained that the show played a significant role in shaping the former president’s public image. This comes after Miller’s recent essay, wherein he acknowledged the impact of the program on Trump’s reputation.
John D. Miller expresses regret over Donald Trump’s The Apprentice
John D. Miller, former head of marketing at NBC, expressed deep regret over Donald Trump’s rise to fame through The Apprentice.
In an essay published by U.S. News & World Report, Miller said, “I want to apologize to America,” stating that he “helped create a monster.” He led the team that promoted the show, which made Trump “a household name outside of New York City.”
Miller admitted that The Apprentice “created the narrative that Trump was a super-successful businessman who lived like royalty,” which was at best “a substantial exaggeration.” He described the show’s portrayal as “fake news that we spread over America like a heavy snowstorm.” Miller detailed Trump’s numerous business failures, including four bankruptcies before the show began.
He also revealed that Trump was “manipulative, yet extraordinarily easy to manipulate,” and “remarkably thin-skinned.” He linked these traits to Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and his attempts to overthrow the 2020 election. “While we were successful in marketing The Apprentice, we also did irreparable harm by creating the false image of Donald Trump as a successful leader,” John D. Miller wrote.
In his essay, Miller endorsed Kamala Harris, urging Americans to vote for her. He concluded, “If you believe that Trump will be better for you or better for the country, that is an illusion, much like The Apprentice was.” Miller expressed his strong belief that the country would be “better off” with Harris as president.