You’re Fired! Former TV ‘Apprentices’ denounce Donald Trump’s White House bid

A group of former contestants on Donald Trump’s reality television show The Apprentice put their old boss in the hot seat on Friday, saying the US Republican front runner has widened racial divisions and should not be president.

Trump’s one-time admirers, most from racial minorities, urged the New York billionaire to tamp down his divisive rhetoric as he campaigns to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 8 election.

“We are all disappointed and in some ways shocked to see what is being spewed from Donald regarding his views on women, immigrants, and the list goes on,” said Randal Pinkett, winner of the 2005 fourth season of the reality television show.

“We strongly condemn Donald’s campaign of sexism, xenophobia, racism, violence and hate.”

Pinkett said “[Trump] is not worthy of the highest office of the land” and said there had been glimpses of those attitudes in private conversations and time spent off-screen with Trump during the making of the TV show.

Running for 14 seasons, The Apprentice gave Trump a national platform, and his often blunt and unfiltered style helped make the show a major hit. The show featured groups of business-minded contestants vying for a titular apprenticeship in Trump’s organisation. At its peak, nearly 21 million people watched the show.

Trump’s proposals to ban Muslims from entering the United States and to build a wall at the Mexican border have drawn criticism even within his party. His campaign has been accused of tacitly encouraging violence at large and rowdy rallies where Trump supporters have at times clashed with protesters.

On Friday evening, as protests broke out at a rally in Hartford, Connecticut, Trump belted out his usual response: “Get them out of here!”