Donald Trump’s unprecedented rise in the political sphere was initially perceived as a ridiculous joke. But it quickly turned into a nightmarish reality, as Trump somehow secured the Republic nomination for the U.S. presidency. Understandably, no one with even a modicum of decency is willing to take credit for his continued popularity -- not even NBC, the network that transformed Trump into an entertaining television personality and, arguably, gave him the initial platform he needed to go into politics in the first place. Only in America!

NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt says blame for Trump’s baffling political career shouldn’t fall on his network, despite the fact that many Americans were first introduced to Trump through The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice.

"We are happy to have a show that was doing really well, with a guy who was a big TV star. It’s impossible to predict where it goes from there. I think it surprised all of us that he would want to [run for president] but that’s what is great about this country,” Greenblatt said at a Television Critics Association press event yesterday (August 2) via Deadline.

"But I don’t think there’s that much correlation between one and the other.”

Instead, Greenblatt deflected, making the point that, “[Doonesbury cartoonist] Garry Trudeau predicted Donald Trump would run for president 15 years ago, before he was on The Apprentice."

Still, it should be noted NBC did cut ties with Trump after he made disparaging, racist comments in which he called Mexican immigrants “rapists.”

Greenblatt maintains that Trump will never again appear on Celebrity Apprentice, so long as he remains with the network. But he didn’t rule out Trump’s eventual return to television, either.

“Oh, I couldn’t answer that,” he said about another possible role for the presidential nominee. “I have no idea at this point."

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