Trump campaign to sue 'The Apprentice' for Ivana rape scene
Donald Trump's campaign has revealed plans to sue the creators of The Apprentice, a film that recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Ali Abbasi, the biographical drama depicts the former US President's rise from his father's shadow. Steven Cheung, spokesperson for the Trump campaign, criticized the film as "garbage" and "pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked."
This controversial scene sparked Trump campaign's legal action
Among the contentious scenes is a depiction of Trump (played by Sebastian Stan) "violently throwing" his then-wife Ivana (Maria Bakalova) and then proceeding to assault her sexually. In the scene, Ivana playfully offers her husband a book about the merits of the female orgasm. However, the interaction turns dark as an uninterested Trump tells his wife he is no longer attracted to her. Ivana, who died in 2022, had spoken about the assault in the years following the couple's divorce.
'This film is pure malicious defamation...belongs in dumpster fire'
After the controversies emerged, the Trump campaign declared, "We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers." Cheung added, "This 'film' is pure malicious defamation, should not see the light of day, and doesn't even deserve a place in the straight-to-DVD section of a bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store." "It belongs in a dumpster fire."
Film's unflattering portrayals added fuel to the fire
Apart from the contentious rape scene, the film also includes scenes of Stan's Trump receiving hair treatment for a bald spot. The 2024 presidential candidate is also portrayed as popping amphetamine pills and getting liposuction. Although Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong) transforms him from a nobody into a mogul, Trump shows no loyalty to his mentor when he is dying of AIDS. The notorious germaphobe has his house fumigated by staff after Cohn leaves in one scene.
'The Apprentice' earned an eight-minute standing ovation at Cannes
In addition to the Trump campaign, Dan Snyder, former owner of the Washington Commanders and an investor in The Apprentice, also expressed dissatisfaction with the film's portrayal of Trump. Snyder, who had donated significantly to Trump's campaigns, expected a flattering depiction of the 45th US president. Despite all of these controversies, The Apprentice reportedly received an astounding eight-minute standing ovation at its Cannes debut.
