In The Apprentice ending, Donald Trump’s transformation into a ruthless, self-serving figure is complete as he abandons his mentor, Roy Cohn. Trump’s moral decline is symbolized through cold actions, revealing his shift toward unfeeling ambition and foreshadowing his relentless pursuit of power.

Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice explores how Roy Cohn, the infamous lawyer, transformed a young, ambitious Donald Trump into the figure we know today.

This cinematic exploration of Trump’s early days captures his growth from a rookie businessman to someone wielding ruthless power, heavily influenced by Cohn’s teachings on exploiting the system.

Trump’s entry into the world of corruption began in the 1970s, with a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Trump Organization.

At that time, the young Trump sought to rise above his father’s shadow. Cohn, seeing Trump’s ambition, took him under his wing, using his own three ruthless business rules: attack without relent, never admit guilt, and claim a win, even when facing losses.

These rules became Trump’s guiding principles, evident throughout his career and personal life.

As Trump absorbed Cohn’s manipulative tactics, he began to shed any semblance of empathy, a shift that impacted his relationships, particularly with his wife, Ivana, and his brother, Fred Jr. Trump’s pursuit of victory became his identity, with no regard for the consequences to others.

Cohn encouraged him, from guiding Trump’s business moves to securing massive tax abatements, reinforcing the disregard for legal and moral boundaries.

Even with Cohn’s mentorship, Trump eventually distanced himself, outgrowing Cohn and taking his unethical methods to greater extremes. In the film’s ending, Trump shuns his ailing mentor, gifting him fake “diamond” cufflinks as Cohn faces a lonely death.

Trump’s transformation culminates with scenes that symbolize his final descent into a self-centered lifestyle, willing to sacrifice anything for fame and power.

In The Apprentice’s finale, Trump’s full loss of humanity and the dark legacy he continues embodying in American politics mark the chilling effects of Cohn’s mentorship, illustrating the lasting influence of Cohn’s moral corruption on Trump’s life.