In a moment that defies both satire and common decency, Donald Trump used some of his time at the National Prayer Breakfast to talk about The Apprentice and suggested that his audience “pray” for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ratings. As Politico reports, the subject came up because Trump was introduced by (fellow) Apprentice executive producer Mark Burnett, who the president then promptly insulted. NBC News has video of the moment:
Though his chuckle may indicate that Trump thinks he made a joke, it’s clear that the man supposed to be leading our country is still fixated on Schwarzenegger’s numbers even as he and his cronies plot ways to violate human rights. He first commented on the ratings at the beginning January before he was sworn in, but when he still should have been figuring out how to run a government.
Schwarzenegger—who recently voiced his opposition to Trump’s immigration ban—has responded to this morning’s diss in a cheeky video posted to Twitter. “I have a great idea,” the former California governor said. “Why don’t we switch jobs? You take over TV since you’re such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job so people can finally sleep comfortably again.”
Per ABC News correspondent Katherine Faulders, Schwarzenegger’s spokesperson also released a statement saying that the current host is “praying that President Trump can start improving his own approval ratings.”
UPDATE: White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer characterized the Apprentice talk as a “lighthearted moment,” continuing “I think if you look at the totality of his remarks they were absolutely beautiful.” Among the non-reality TV related topics of discussion: Trump said he planned to “destroy” the Johnson Amendment, a move, which the New York Times reports, “would fundamentally alter a major aspect of the church-state divide.”