In 2016, The Daily Beast reported that several former viewers and crew members of The Apprentice noticed Donald Trump’s apparent infatuation with Brande Roderick, a Playboy Playmate and contestant on the show. At the time, Trump was married to Melania Knauss, but allegedly made inappropriate remarks about Roderick, even suggesting it would be a “beautiful sight” to see her fall to her knees. Roderick appeared on The Apprentice twice, in 2009 and 2013, and Trump’s comments reportedly took place during these seasons.
According to crew members who spoke with the publication, Trump had a pattern of making unsettling comments about Roderick. One former staffer recalled, “When he invited her back for another season, he kept asking repeatedly, saying he wanted her as his wife. It was typical Donald… creepy.”
As per the Daily Mail, she wrote, Another worker remembered Trump constantly proposing to Roderick and commenting on her appearance, which they interpreted as attempts to be charming. One incident, which took place in the show’s boardroom, became particularly infamous when someone mentioned Roderick pleading not to be fired.
Trump responded, “Excuse me, you dropped to your knees? Must be a pretty picture, you dropping to your knees.” Off-camera, crew members claimed Trump’s comments were even more vulgar, with one insider reporting that Trump frequently talked about Roderick in crude sexual terms. They stated, “It’d be ‘f***’ this, ‘what do you think about her a**’ or ‘what do you think about her t**s.’ It was a daily thing.”
Despite the accusations, Roderick denied any inappropriate behavior from Trump. She responded to the Daily Beast story in an Instagram post, calling the claims a “complete lie.” She wrote, “While on The Celebrity Apprentice, Mr. Trump never approached me or asked me out, was never inappropriate in any way, let alone ask me to marry him.
This whole story is laughable.” Roderick emphasized that her experience on the show was professional and respectful, fully rejecting the accusations. Interestingly, when asked about Trump’s “falling to your knees” comment in a 2015 interview with MSNBC, Roderick defended Trump, stating she didn’t even remember him saying it. “He’s never been disrespectful to me,” she said.
The Daily Beast report followed other accusations about Trump’s behavior on The Apprentice. Several former staff members told the Associated Press that Trump often used sexist language, judged female contestants by their appearance, and discussed which applicants he would want to sleep with. These revelations came as Trump’s treatment of women became a central issue during his first presidential campaign, leading many former contestants and staff to share their stories.