What to know about new claims that Trump made racist comments on ‘The Apprentice’

As Donald Trump seeks to make inroads with African American voters in his third run for the White House, fresh allegations are surfacing about his disrespectful behavior toward Black people on “ The Apprentice,” the hit reality TV show that launched his political career.

Former contestant Gene Folkes told The Associated Press that the ex-president used racially insensitive words when Folkes was fired from the show in 2010. Folkes also said he got a cease-and-desist letter from NBC barring him from speaking publicly about his experience.

A former producer also recently published an account in Slate alleging that Trump used a racist slur to refer to Kwame Jackson, a Black contestant who was a finalist on the show’s first season, and said he came forward because his non-disclosure agreement expired.

A Trump campaign spokesman has vehemently dismissed the accounts as false and politically motivated. Questions remain about whether any of it was caught on tape.

Here’s what to know about new claims of racially insensitive exchanges tied to “The Apprentice”:

A CONTESTANT’S STORY

Folkes said he had just been fired by Trump and was commiserating with a crew member inside a bar at Trump Tower. As the crew member, a Black woman, consoled him, Trump suddenly appeared.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> RELATED COVERAGE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> A new account rekindles allegations that Trump disrespected Black people on ‘The Apprentice’ </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Kentucky