Donald Trump isn’t happy about The Apprentice. In May, the former president hit the unauthorised biopic with a cease and desist letter seeking to prevent it from being released in the United States.
In a statement to The Independent, Trump campaign chief spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “We filed a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers. This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalises lies that have been long debunked.”
Nevertheless, the film from Iranian director Ali Abbasi secured an international release. The Apprentice is set during the early years of Trump’s business career, starring Sebastian Stan as the budding real estate mogul and Succession’s Jeremy Strong as his mentor, the lawyer and political fixer Roy Cohn.
The film’s producers have described it as being “inspired” by real events, despite the Trump campaign’s assertion that it’s “pure fiction.” So, how much of the story is really true?
Was Trump mentored by Roy Cohn?
Roy Cohn was a lawyer, born and raised in the Bronx, who gained prominence in the 1950s for his role as Senator Joseph McCarthy’s chief counsel during his investigations into suspected communists. By the time Trump met him in 1973, Cohn was one of New York’s most significant political power brokers and the young mogul was keen to learn everything he could from him.
This story is from the October 20, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the October 20, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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