Trump Blasts Schwarzenegger for ‘Celebrity Apprentice' Ratings

Schwarzenegger jabbed back at Trump on Twitter hours later

Hours before meeting with the nation's top intelligence officials to discuss alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election, President-elect Donald Trump took aim at Arnold Schwarzenegger and "The New Celebrity Apprentice." 

"Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got 'swamped' (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT," Trump tweeted, referring to his initials in the third person. 

Schwarzenegger replaced Trump as host of the "Celebrity Apprentice" franchise this season, but the president-elect remains an executive producer of the show. 

The program saw a significant drop in ratings with Schwarzenegger at the helm, according to reports. The premiere notched a 1.3 rating in the prized 18 to 49 demographic, and 4.9 million viewers, down 35 percent from the last premiere with Trump as host in 2015. Trump's run on the show averaged a 2.4 rating among adults in the demo and 7.6 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter

Trump knocked Schwarzenegger in another Tweet for supporting a rival in the Republican primary. He also asserted that Schwarzenegger supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 general election. While Schwarzenegger said that he would "not vote for the Republican candidate," he did not in the waning days of the race indicate who he was voting for. 

Schwarzenegger jabbed back at Trump on Twitter Friday, wishing him luck and saying he hopes he works for the American people "as aggressively as you worked for your ratings." 

In recent days, Trump has aimed his Twitter cannon at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who he called a "head clown," and the media, among others. 

Later Friday, Trump is expected to be briefed by intelligence agencies about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election through cyberattacks and other means. 

In recent weeks, Trump has also raised doubts about intelligence agencies and Russia's involvement in the cyberattacks on Twitter. 

"The New Celebrity Apprentice" is produced and owned by MGM and appears on the NBC Television Network.

Contact Us