'Pray For Arnold': Trump Slams Schwarzenegger At National Prayer Breakfast
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- President Donald Trump is seeking prayers for Arnold Schwarzenegger over ratings for "Celebrity Apprentice," the show Trump once hosted.
Addressing the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday, Trump said ratings went "right down the tubes,'' and the show has been a "total disaster'' since the actor and former California governor debuted as host last month.
"They hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place," Trump said. "And we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes."
Trump still has an executive producer credit on the show, CBS News reported.
Trump told the audience, "I want to just pray for Arnold if we can.''
Schwarzenegger responded in a brief video on his Twitter account, captioned "The National Prayer Breakfast?'' He suggests he and Trump switch jobs since Trump is "such an expert in ratings.''
That way, Schwarzenegger says, "people can finally sleep comfortably again.''
According to the Nielsen company, ratings for Schwarzenegger's debut were down significantly compared to Trump's debut in January 2004.
Trump took to Twitter to taunt Schwarzenegger over ratings following the show's debut earlier this year.
"So much for being a movie star,'' Trump said, adding "now compare him to my season 1.''
The former California governor later responded to the president-elect on Twitter, saying Trump should work as hard to represent all Americans as he did for TV ratings.
He also quoted President Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address: "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.''
"It inspired me every day I was Governor, and I hope it inspires you," he said.
Schwarzenegger is a moderate Republican who said in October that he wouldn't vote for Trump, calling it a choice of "your country over your party.''
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