For many who have crossed paths with Donald Trump, whether in the reality television boardroom or the halls of the White House, being fired often marks a defining moment of professional and personal reckoning. Among them is 62-year-old Manhattan resident Gene Folkes, who competed on season 10 of The Apprentice in 2010. A former Air Force recruiter and later an investment banker, Folkes had launched his own business before joining the reality show. He recalls being contacted out of the blue, asked if he would be interested in the program, though he initially knew little about its format.
Reflecting on the experience, Folkes notes that the reality of the show involved intense schedules, such as wardrobe visits at 3:30 a.m. Upon first meeting Trump outside a Wall Street building, Folkes felt an initial sense of aspiration. However, as the competition progressed, his admiration faded. He recalls realizing that Trump was not the type of person he had hoped to model his own career after. The production environment was highly controlled; Folkes says a producer once suggested the series was his to lose. During his final days, a minor misunderstanding involving his glasses—specifically, that he did not have bifocals and needed to retrieve his spectacles—was edited into a narrative suggesting he was illiterate or unable to communicate.
When Folkes attempted to defend his abilities in the boardroom, the tension escalated. He describes Trump as becoming visibly angry, with his face reddening as he refused to listen. Ultimately, Folkes confronted him, stating, “If you want to fire me, just fire me.” Trump complied. Following his departure, Folkes experienced significant emotional distress, struggling to leave his home. Over the 15 years since his appearance, he has observed the convergence of entertainment and politics, noting that while good leaders welcome being challenged, his experience suggested a system that was fundamentally rigged.
Similar reflections come from John Bolton, 77, a former national security adviser and United Nations ambassador. Bolton describes his 2019 resignation as a culmination of events rather than a single breaking point. Following a final conversation on 9 September where Trump complained about various issues, Bolton returned to his office and decided to resign immediately. He regrets not announcing the move on social media instantly, as he believes he should have utilized a pre-emptive strike strategy to define the narrative before Trump could react.
Bolton highlights the difficulties of working within an administration where disciplinary focus was lacking. He recounts an incident where Iran shot down an American drone over the Persian Gulf; while he and others favored a firm response, he found the decision-making process unpredictable. He also details personal conflicts, such as when he insisted that a staffer should be fired for wrongdoing, only for Trump to demand her dismissal—an order Bolton resisted because he deemed it illegal. Conversely, when Bolton and his team sought to fire an individual, Trump would frequently countermand them, insisting they grant the person another chance.
The experiences of public service under this leadership extended to independent agencies as well. Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, 45, a Democrat appointed to the Federal Trade Commission, recalls the sudden disruption of her tenure. After the January 2025 inauguration, the administration began removing commissioners from independent bodies. On 18 March 2025, while volunteering at her daughter’s elementary school, Slaughter received a long, unexpected email via a mobile device, which she eventually understood to be her dismissal. She recalls the surreal experience of sitting outside a school gym, surrounded by children playing, while processing the end of her federal service.
Slaughter, who had prioritized blocking major mergers during her time at the FTC, coordinated with her husband and colleagues to navigate the situation. She felt it was vital to explain the change to her daughter before others could, shielding her from the confusion of the sudden departure. Like Folkes and Bolton, Slaughter maintains that her focus remains on the broader implications of these actions rather than personal animosity. She observes that she does not believe Trump spent time contemplating her specifically, as the dismissal felt like part of a wider administrative shift.
These accounts, including details from Barbara Res’s bookTower of Lies: What My Eighteen Years of Working With Donald Trump Reveals About Himunderscore a recurring theme: the volatility of working with a leader whose decision-making process often defies traditional corporate or political norms. Whether through the lens of a television competition or the high-stakes environment of the White House, the act of being fired remains a point of intense analysis for those who once served in Trump’s orbit. The report also notes that he retrained as an investment banker, then launched his own business before appearing on the reality show, a former air force recruiter until 1991. The report also notes that he was fired by Trump in episode 5. The report also notes that he now runs the technology consulting firm OshunX and hosts a podcast, Folkes Unfettered. The report also notes that there’s this mythology around Trump. The report also notes that he was one of the people I wanted to emulate. The report also notes that wardrobe comes into your room at 3.30am, the first morning. The report also notes that you learn really quickly that you’re playing a game and the rules can change at any moment.
