Did Donald Trump assault first wife Ivana Trump? Fact checking ‘The Apprentice’ movie

The movie The Apprentice has drawn significant controversy for its depiction of Donald Trump's early years, particularly a scene involving the alleged rape of his first wife, Ivana Trump. The film portrays a dramatic moment where Trump, played by Sebastian Stan, assaults Ivana, as she screams for him to stop. This scene is inspired by a deposition Ivana gave during their 1990 divorce proceedings, where she accused Donald of sexual assault. Ivana later recanted the allegation in 2015 during his first presidential campaign, stating she didn’t mean it in a "criminal sense"​

The Trump campaign has fiercely criticized the film, calling it “pure malicious defamation,” with spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissing the content as “garbage” and threatening legal action against the filmmakers. Director Ali Abbasi defended the scene, stating it was necessary to explore Trump’s misogyny and based on real accounts​

The movie delves into various controversial aspects of Trump's life, blending fact with dramatic fiction. According to screenwriter Gabriel Sherman, the film is not a documentary but rather a narrative meant to capture the emotional truth of Trump’s relationships, including his dynamic with lawyer Roy Cohn​