The Apprentice: A Glimpse into the Trump Origin Story
“The Apprentice,” a film that aims to shed light on the formative years of Donald Trump, made its much-anticipated premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last spring, where it received an impressive eight-minute standing ovation. However, upon its release in American theaters last weekend, it garnered a disappointing box-office figure of just $1.6 million, along with a predictably scathing critique from its central figure, who dismissed it as “fake,” “classless,” and a “politically disgusting hatchet job.”
The film, despite the harsh judgment from Trump, offers a nuanced portrayal of his early days in the cutthroat world of Manhattan real estate. It chronicles his struggle to break free from the shadow of an overbearing father, only to become ensnared in the ruthless machinations of Roy Cohn. This complex relationship between the young developer and the infamous McCarthyite lawyer has been the subject of extensive analysis and commentary over the years. Cohn, portrayed by Jeremy Strong with a chilling intensity, imparted to the future president a distinct style, a commanding rhetoric, and a formidable bluster. His playbook became clear: Get sued, sue back; always deflect blame and engage in litigation.
As the narrative unfolds, it becomes evident that the first significant political adversary Trump encounters is Mayor Ed Koch, a figure equally confident in his own arrogance and combative spirit. In the early 1980s, Trump sought a 10-year tax abatement from the city for his ambitious construction project, Trump Tower—what he described as “the ultimate vision of an elegant life seen through a golden eye.” This skyscraper would replace Bonwit Teller, a prestigious women’s clothier that opened its doors in 1929 with the attendance of Eleanor Roosevelt. Trump Tower debuted with a Harry Winston boutique, where patrons could purchase a jewel-encrusted “taxi whistle” priced at a staggering $8,000.
However, Mayor Koch, grappling with the repercussions of New York’s financial crisis, was reluctant to subsidize a venture that would primarily benefit a privileged segment of the city’s populace. “The Apprentice” features Trump’s reflections on Koch during interviews, illustrating how this rivalry would shape his future public persona. The feud with Koch essentially provided Trump with the blueprint for his subsequent public disparagement tactics. “I would say he’s got no talent and only moderate intelligence,” Trump articulates in a manner that would become a hallmark of his rhetoric. “Ed Koch has been a disaster for New York, and he’s done a lousy job as the mayor,” states Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Donald Trump in the film, echoing the sentiments expressed by the real Trump. “Anyone who lives in New York knows it.” Ultimately, the city denied Trump the tax break he sought, leading him to sue the Koch administration—and win.
While many perceive that it was during the Bloomberg era that New York City began granting the real estate industry unprecedented freedom, “The Apprentice” reveals that these concessions took root much earlier. The demands and expectations set forth by the Trump empire were pivotal in shaping the evolution of the city’s landscape and its relationship with the affluent elite.
