{
  "id": 6913093,
  "title": "‘I said, if you want to fire me, just fire me. And so he did’: my showdown with Donald Trump",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/i-said-if-you-want-to-fire-me-just-fire-me-and-so-he-did-my-showdown",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T11:00:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian US",
    "slug": "the-guardian-us",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/12/fired-showdown-donald-trump-us-president-interview-stories"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former national security adviser Gene Folkes recently recounted his experience being fired by former US President Donald Trump. Folkes, 62, served as a contestant on season 10 of The Apprentice in 2010 and was later let go from the show in episode 5. Prior to his brief stint on the reality program, Folkes had a successful career as an air force recruiter, investment banker, and entrepreneur. Now running the technology consulting firm OshunX and hosting the podcast Folkes Unfettered, Folkes shared his story, revealing that he was not initially interested in auditioning for The Apprentice. However, he was drawn to Trump's reputation as a titan within the business world, and ultimately appeared on the show to emulate the successful businessman. When Folkes received the call to participate in the show, he was unaware of its nature, but his admiration for Trump's persona drove him to take the opportunity. Despite the shock of being shown the door by a sitting president, Folkes' account provides a glimpse into the high-stakes world of reality television and the powerful individuals who appear on such programs.",
  "summary": "What’s it like to be shown the door by the US president? A former national security adviser, an Apprentice contestant and more share their stories • Plus: The truth about my 11 days in the White House, by Anthony Scaramucci Gene Folkes, 62, based in Manhattan, was a contestant on season 10 of The Apprentice, which aired in 2010. A former air force recruiter until 1991, he retrained as an…",
  "key_points": [
    "Gene Folkes fired by Donald Trump as national security adviser",
    "Folkes appeared on The Apprentice to emulate successful businessman",
    "Folkes now runs technology consulting firm and hosts podcast"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "National Post",
        "title": "Donald Trump has already seized one Canadian asset: our attention",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/donald-trump-has-already-seized-one-canadian-asset-our-attention",
        "published": "2026-09-12T12:00:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "Donald Trump says he would ‘love’ to see united Ireland",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/donald-trump-says-he-would-love-to-see-united-ireland",
        "published": "2026-09-12T13:06:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Trump says a unified Ireland would be ‘fantastic’ during Irish visit",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/trump-says-a-unified-ireland-would-be-fantastic-during-irish-visit",
        "published": "2026-09-12T14:20:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}