Trump Dealt Big Blow as Serious Details That Could Affect Reelection Emerge

Gene Folkes, fresh from his dismissal on “The Apprentice,” found himself in a bar within Trump Tower, venting his frustrations to a fellow crew member. His indignation was palpable—not merely due to his abrupt exit from the show, punctuated by Donald Trump’s iconic “You’re fired,” but also because of the harsh critique he had just endured.

As one of only two Black contestants in the 2010 season, Folkes was deeply offended by Trump’s accusations of inarticulateness and illiteracy, leveled during an intense boardroom session. Comforted by the contestant manager, a Black woman, Folkes’s solace was interrupted by an unexpected encounter with Trump himself, told AP News.

Trump approached the duo and made an insensitive comment suggesting they would make a great couple because of their shared background. “He came up and he asked me: ‘Is this your woman? Because you two would make a really great couple, you both have the same background,’” Folkes told The Associated Press on Friday, June 7.

When the manager reminded Trump of her employment under him, he retorted with a dismissive remark about not having used a racial slur, echoing a sentiment he had voiced earlier but which never made it to air. “He said again, ‘It’s not like I used the N-word,’ and then he walked off, and that was that,” said Folkes

Folkes, a New York consultant, podcast host, and U.S. Air Force veteran, later reflected on the incident. As Trump pursues African American voters for his third presidential bid, allegations of his undefendable disrespectful behavior towards Black individuals continue to surface. Bill Pruitt, a former producer of “The Apprentice,” recently reignited these accusations, claiming Trump used a racial slur against Kwame Jackson, a Black finalist from the show’s first season.

Trump’s campaign has staunchly denied these allegations, branding them as politically motivated falsehoods. “Now that Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrats are losing the election, and President Trump continues to dominate, they are bringing up old fake stories from the past because they are desperate,” campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said.

Despite his denials, Trump has faced numerous accusations of racism throughout his career, from the 1973 discrimination lawsuit against his real estate business to his relentless promotion of the false birther conspiracy against President Barack Obama. His 2016 campaign also grappled with revelations of his sexist comments captured on tape.

Folkes’s experience, alongside the broader narrative of Trump’s behavior on “The Apprentice,” underscores the complexity of his public persona. The show, pivotal to his rise, showcased Trump as a paragon of business acumen, yet behind the scenes, allegations of racism and misconduct loomed large.

Many former contestants and crew members remain bound by non-disclosure agreements, preventing full disclosure of the events within Trump Tower. In his blog post following his firing, Folkes detailed his grievances, prompting a stern cease-and-desist order from NBC.

The network’s actions, including providing Folkes with additional therapy sessions, highlighted the psychological toll of his portrayal on the show.

As Trump continues his political journey, these past incidents resurface, painting a complex picture of a figure who has long been both celebrated and vilified in equal measure. For Folkes, the encounter at the bar was a stark reminder of the broader issues of race and representation that continue to shape American society.