Attorneys representing ex-US President Donald Trump have sent a cease and desist letter to the makers of The Apprentice demanding the halt of production of the movie. The film depicts Trump's ascent to power during the 1980s. The lawsuit seeks to prevent the movie from being sold or distributed in the US, following its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. However, filmmakers remain determined to secure American distribution, stating that “the film is a fair and balanced portrait of the former president.”

The Apprentice makers react to cease and desist letter

The letter from Trump's legal team states that the movie "presents itself as a factual biography of Trump, yet nothing could be further from the truth." They claim the movie is funded by Canada, Ireland, and other countries, and that it is filled with false information that maligns the previous President and interferes in the upcoming American elections. The producers restated their position in reaction to the accusations: "We encourage everyone to watch it and make their own judgment."

What is The Apprentice about?

In the film, Cohn is depicted as a longtime mentor to Trump, coaching him in the ruthlessness of New York City politics and business. Early on, Cohn aided the Trump Organization when it was being sued by the federal government for racial discrimination in housing.

The Apprentice, which is labelled as inspired by true events, portrays Trump’s dealings with Cohn as a Faustian bargain that guided his rise as a businessman and, later, as a politician. Stan’s Trump is initially a more naive real estate striver, soon transformed by Cohn’s education. The film is a potentially explosive big-screen drama in the midst of the U.S. presidential election. The film is for sale in Cannes, so it doesn’t yet have a release date.