A Look Back At The Time CNN's Erin Burnett Worked With Trump On The Apprentice

It's hard to imagine a time when CNN anchor Erin Burnett and President Donald Trump shared anything in common, let alone professional camaraderie. But that's exactly what happened when their paths crossed on the set of "The Apprentice."

During the show's run on NBC, Burnett occasionally filled in as a guest judge when Ivanka Trump was unavailable. Years later, during President Trump's first term in office, Burnett reflected on the experience during a radio interview (via SiriusXM). "He is very much the person now that he was then," she said, describing him as "very convincing when he wants to talk to people."

At the time, the president-elect faced accusations of sexual harassment by a former contestant, a story Burnett had reported on herself. Yet, she maintained that her personal experience with him was strictly professional. She was even cautiously optimistic about his presidency, noting that she could "see a lot of merit in what Trump is saying about trade." However, as President Trump escalated his feud with CNN, his dynamic with Burnett became increasingly complicated.

While Erin Burnett once praised Donald Trump, she has never shied away from criticizing him when necessary. In 2023, Burnett grilled Republican Congressman Anthony D'Esposito about President Trump's suggestion that immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country" (via New York Times). She highlighted how "poisoning the blood" has troubling ties to Nazi ideology, noting how Adolf Hitler frequently used the phrase in his speeches (via The Independent). Burnett's sharp critique of Trump's xenophobic remarks didn't go unnoticed.

He responded with a signature rant on his app, Truth Social, attacking Burnett's credibility instead of addressing the issue (via Newsweek). Trump labeled her the "Fake News CNN Host(ess?) who is constantly and very boringly reporting false and semi-inflammatory stories about your favorite President." He didn't stop there. In the same post, he painted a different picture of their time together on "The Apprentice." Trump claimed Burnett used to call him "over and over again" to appear on the show and accused her of being "desperate for ratings." He went on to describe Burnett as "not smart, and very boring, much like she is today on her soon to be canceled (???) show." While their dynamic was once cordial, it's clear that any goodwill between the two has been fractured beyond repair.