'He had this vacant look': Author alarmed by Trump's 'severe memory issues'

The author of a new book on Donald Trump's reality TV show "The Apprentice" said the former president has nursed years-long grudges in spite of clear memory issues.

Ramin Setoodeh, the co-editor-in-chief of Variety, interviewed Trump six times for the book "Apprentice in Wonderland" between May 2021 and November 2023, and he told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that reality show was wholly responsible for the failed businessman becoming president.

"This is the reason why Donald Trump became president of the United States," Setoodeh said. "This is the reason why he is now the nominee and could become president of the United States again. I think the important thing about this book, what I want everyone to know, it is based on a lot of access to Donald Trump. I interviewed him starting in 2021. I, as a journalist, spent more time with him than any other journalist since he left the White House on the record. We talked a total of six times, we were sitting together in the board room at Trump Tower watching clips of 'The Apprentice' together. Yes, this is the show and the warped reality we all live in, but it is also a president in exile."

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Setoodeh told host Joe Scarborough that the ex-president remained fixated on him.

"Trump's mental temperament after the White House, his fixation on revenge – Joe, he's still fixated on you," Setoodeh said. "He spoke in detail about an interview you did in 2015. Lawrence O'Donnell was questioning how much money he made off 'The Apprentice.' Most presidents post-presidency are thinking of happier thoughts, moving on with their life, but he was remembering every negative thing anyone said. This book is also a warning. Donald Trump knows how to use the media. He's never been taken out. People keep saying, 'Okay, Trump era is over,' but he won't leave because he is a reality star. Reality stars really know how to captivate their audience."

Trump frequently accuses president Joe Biden of suffering from age-related cognitive issues, but Setoodeh said he was alarmed by some of the former president's behavior.

"I got to know Donald Trump post-presidency, got to see what he was like," Setoodeh said. "Over the weekend, he was talking about how Joe Biden needs to take a cognitive test, Joe Biden isn't all there. Donald Trump had severe memory issues. As the journalist who spent the most time with him, I have to say, he couldn't remember things. He couldn't even remember me. We spent an hour together in 2021 in May, then a few months later, I went back to the, I went back to Trump Tower to talk about his time in the White House. I said, you know, he had this vacant look. I said, do you remember me? He said no. He had no recollection of the lengthy interview we had, and he wasn't doing a lot of interviews at that time. The American public really needs to see this portrait of Donald Trump. This shows what he is like and who he is and who he has always been."

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