We can't and shouldn't count Trump out until he actually loses next November but, for what it's worth, Trump is already making plans for life after the White House.
The Daily Beast reports that Trump has been talking to Appreciate creator Mark Burnett about creating a new version of The Apprentice when he leaves office.
This new version would reportedly focus on choosing the Republican party's next leaders.
One of the ideas kicked around by Burnett and the president was shooting a new version of the Trump-branded Apprentice, tentatively titled The Apprentice: White House, and to produce it shortly after the president leaves office. This time, however, the TV program would be explicitly politics-themed and take full advantage of Trump’s status as a former president of the United States and a newfound Republican kingmaker.
“There have been several discussions between Burnett and Trump about The Apprentice: White House,” a person with knowledge of the situation told The Daily Beast. “It is something Burnett thinks could be a money-spinner and Trump is very keen on doing.”
I'm unable to think of a more fitting end of the GOP than to have their future primary selection process essentially replaced by a reality TV show hosted by the realty TV host they installed in the White House.
Unless Republicans finally decide they're willing to oppose Trump after he's out of office, I can't see anything preventing him from doing this.
Maybe Fox News will declare war on Trump if he hosts the show on a rival network. But if he hosts it on Fox, they will guarantee that the next Republican nominee for president is hand-picked by Trump.
But why stop there? Trump could pick the next GOP minority or majority leader in Congress via his reality show. He could pick congressional nominees.
It will be like The Running Man, but for aspiring Republicans.
This raises new questions about Mark Burnett's decision to withhold outtakes from the set of The Apprentice during the 2016 election. Former cast members say Trump used racial slurs during the filming of the show, but Burnett suppressed all the video and it looks like he might have had future business interests in mind.