Before his transformation into a politician, Donald Trump was the host of the business reality show “The Apprentice” and seasons called “The Celebrity Apprentice” (until the last one hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger). O'Leary is on “Shark Tank” and also appeared on “Dragons' Den,” the British show that inspired “Shark Tank” and its Canadian incarnation. Mark Burnett created “The Apprentice” and produced both that show and “Shark Tank.”
However, O'Leary and Trump disagreed on many issues beyond tax policy. O'Leary's views on immigration are an important example. “I'm a half-Lebanese, half-Irish immigrant,” O'Leary told the BBC in 2017. “If there was a wall around Canada, I wouldn't exist. The policies he defends are therefore not mine. “Canada is a very inclusive country. »
O'Leary's political career did not last long. Since April 2017, he has no longer run for the position of leader of the Conservative Party. However, he put his “Canadian Donald Trump” hat back on after the verdict in Trump's civil fraud trial. In February 2024, the judge in the civil case against Trump ruled that the former president must pay $355 million and refrain from doing business in New York state for three years. O'Leary was unhappy with the decision, telling Fox Business that, aside from Trump's involvement, “there's no reason for it.” He criticized New York State, calling it a “losing state.”
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