WASHINGTON _ President-elect Donald Trump will remain an executive producer on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice," Variety reported Thursday, while letting former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger take over hosting duties.
The reality TV show premiered in 2008 as an offshoot to "The Apprentice," in which Trump judges the business skills of a group of contestants. The celebrity edition is set to return to the air on Jan. 2 after a two-year hiatus.
NBC ended its business relationship with Trump shortly after he launched his presidential campaign, citing "derogatory statements" about immigrants in Trump's announcement speech, when he suggested many of them are criminals and rapists.
While still unclear, Trump's per-episode fee for the new season is likely to be in the low five-figures, according to Variety.
The arrangement re-raises questions about potential business conflicts of interest for Trump, though past presidents have generated royalties from books they have written while in office. When President Barack Obama published "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters in 2010," he donated the profits to a charity supporting the children of disabled veterans.
The president-elect is scheduled to announce how he will handle his business entities while in office in more detail at a Dec. 15 news conference.
Trump's tenure on "The Apprentice" series launched the New York real estate mogul, already a prominent figure, into an even higher level of fame. He became well-known for his catchphrase on the show: "You're fired!"
The show led to controversy on the campaign trail, when former staffers and participants on the show came forward with allegations of inappropriate and crude behavior by Trump during the production. Trump denied the claims.
