The head of NBC denied the network is responsible for Donald Trump's success as a celebrity and as a presidential candidate, despite its Apprentice reality series, Business Insider reports. NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt told a reporter who asked Tuesday if the network had a pivotal role in Trump's success that while NBC was "happy to have a show that was doing really well with a guy that was a big TV star... [i]t's impossible to figure out where he goes from there. I think it surprised all of us that he wanted to do this, but I guess that's what's great about this country."
Greenblatt pointed out that there had been speculation Trump would one day run for president before The Apprentice ever aired. "I don't think there is too much of a correlation between [Trump's celebrity from The Apprentice] and [and his successful campaign]," he said. "He has been a popular figure for so many years."
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