Arnold Schwarzenegger — the new host of “Celebrity Apprentice” — is addressing concerns regarding the conflict of interest between Donald Trump’s upcoming U.S. presidency and his ongoing role in the reality series.
The former governor of California answered a series of questions from the media on Friday following the revelation that Trump will act as an executive producer on the show and profit from the series.
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“I knew from the beginning that [Trump] is executive producer on the show,” Schwarzenegger said during the Q&A . “It is no different than when I was governor. My credit on ’Terminator’ said ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’ when I was governor. I made royalties. That didn’t change.”
The news was met with sharp criticism as many wondered how Trump would fulfill the position while trying to run the country. “I don’t think that he’s going to be co-hosting with me,” Schwarzenegger continued before avoiding questions about rising concerns. “There are so many things to concentrate on and work on in this country that I don’t get into hypotheticals.”
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Noticeably absent from the press conference was show creator Mark Burnett, who was expected to attend and answer questions alongside Schwarzenegger. The reality show mogul has come under fire as well lately for reportedly being involved in the planning of Trump’s upcoming inauguration, taking place on January 20.
As The Hollywood Reporter notes, Trump’s continued involvement in the series is “unprecedented” as no sitting U.S. president has ever held a similar title on a television series.
