Former President Donald Trump was “in love” with Will & Grace star Debra Messing and is still hurt that the liberal actress criticized him on Twitter, the author of the new book Apprentice said.
In Apprentice Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking GlassVariety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh wrote that Messing came up several times during his six meetings with Trump after the 2020 election.
The book was released on Tuesday.
Setoodeh noted that Messing’s criticisms on social media continued to “live for free” in Trump’s head and reported that Trump would monitor his Twitter account during his years as president.
“This Debra Messing, who I always thought was quite attractive, not that it matters, of course…” Trump said during one of his interviews. “Debra Messing was so grateful… And today I look at her and it’s like she’s a mess.”
Former President Donald Trump (left) was “in love” with Will & Grace star Debra Messing (right) and is still hurt that the liberal actress criticized him on Twitter, the author of the new book Apprentice said.
Trump’s first meeting with Messing, he told Setoodeh, came when The Apprentice was in its second season.
“So I’m in line,” Trump recalled. “The show had hit No. 1 and we’re ready to make the breakthroughs, which I’ve never heard of.”
Variety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh wrote in his new book, Apprentice in Wonderland, that Trump mentioned actress Debra Messing on several occasions.
Upfronts are an annual presentation held in May where networks present some of their biggest television stars to attract advertisers.
And Debra Messing reached out to me. She had a show at a similar time,” Trump continued. ‘She came up to me with her beautiful red hair. And she said, “Lord, I love you! Thank God for you! She’s saving the network and she’s saving my show.”
“Because in that world, which I now know a lot about, when you have a hit, an introduction, it makes a huge difference,” Trump added.
Setoodeh noted that Will & Grace appeared directly before The Apprentice, meaning it wouldn’t have received a ratings boost if Apprentice viewers were paying attention to NBC.
Rather, Will & Grace viewers may have helped Trump’s show.
“An introduction or an exit,” Trump clarified, sticking to his story.
“She was very grateful,” he said. “She said, ‘I can’t thank you enough.’ Do you believe this? I’ve been watching her. And I say, ‘She would do anything for me.'”
During his years in the White House, Trump was aware of Debra Messing’s negative tweets about him and responded in September 2019, recalling the story that he would later divulge to author Ramin Setoodeh.
Setoodeh wrote that when Trump made this claim, his “words are lathered with a suggestive grease, similar in tone to his boast that women find him irresistible on the leaked Access Hollywood tape.”
“She was very effusive,” Trump continued. “And when I see the hate that comes out of her mouth today, it’s unbelievable.”
Journalist Yashir Ali first reported about Trump’s ‘obsession’ with Messing contained in the book.
Trump retold the story several times and encouraged Setoodeh to publish it.
“You should tell the story of Debra Messing,” advised the former president and presumptive Republican candidate. “To me, it’s disgusting.”
