Lawyers representing former President Donald Trump have sent a cease and desist letter in an effort to stop the release of the film “The Apprentice” in the United States. The letter warns the filmmakers not to pursue a distribution deal for the movie, according to sources familiar with the letter.
“The Apprentice” is a new film that portrays Trump’s early years as a real estate developer and his relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn. It premiered this week at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
The producers responded, stating: “The film is a fair and balanced portrait of the former president. We want everyone to see it and then decide.”
Controversial Depiction of Trump
The independent film stars Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as Cohn. It presents a highly critical view of the former president, depicting him as unethical, unfaithful, connected to the mob, and abusing substances.
Specific controversial scenes include Trump raping his first wife Ivana, abusing amphetamines for weight loss, getting liposuction and plastic surgery.
Trump Team Threatens Legal Action
Trump’s representatives fired back with fierce criticism, threatening legal action against the film’s release. His campaign communications director called it “pure malicious defamation” that “belongs in a dumpster fire.”
When asked for comment, Trump’s campaign referred to this earlier statement condemning the film.
Director Responds to Threats
At a Cannes press conference, director Ali Abbasi responded to Trump’s legal threats, questioning Trump’s success rate with actually winning lawsuits. Abbasi even offered to screen the movie for Trump personally.
With both sides taking aggressive stances, it remains uncertain if “The Apprentice” will be distributed in the U.S. amid the legal battle over its controversial content.