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Arnold Schwarzenegger Replacing Donald Trump as Host of 'Celebrity Apprentice'

By Jackie Willis
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TheCelebrity Apprentice catchphrase "You're fired" might be soon be replaced by "Hasta la vista," "You won't be back" or "You've been terminated."

That's because Arnold Schwarzenegger is replacing Donald Trump as the host of the reality competition series, NBC announced on Monday.

"I have always been a huge fan of The Celebrity Apprentice and the way it showcases the challenges and triumphs of business and teamwork," Schwarzenegger said in a press release. "I am thrilled to bring my experience to the boardroom and to continue to raise millions for charity. Let's get started!"


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Shortly after the announcement, Schwarzenegger took to Twitter to share his excitement. "Wow. I'm blown away and honored by all your tweets," the  former governor of California tweeted. "I can't wait to bring my experience to the board room and raise millions for charity."

Meanwhile, Trump gave his stamp of approval on Schwarzenegger being chosen to succeed him in the boardroom. "Congrats to my friend @Schwarzenegger who is doing next season's Celebrity Apprentice. He'll be great & will raise lots of $ for charity," he wrote. "To all my fans, sorry I couldn’t do The Apprentice any longer -- but equal time (presidential run) prohibits me from doing so. Love!"

"Arnold Schwarzenegger is the epitome of a global brand in entertainment and business, and his accomplishments in the political arena speak for themselves," said Paul Telegdy, President of Alternative and Late Night Programming at NBC Entertainment.  "The Celebrity Apprentice ...will be back!"

Trump, 69, was fired as host of the show in June after he made some controversial remarks about immigration during his announcement that he was running for president.

"At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values," the network said in a statement to ET at the time. "Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump."


WATCH: EXCLUSIVE! Donald Trump Addresses Anti-Immigration Comments -- 'I Don't Have a Racist Bone in My Body'

The Trump Organization also spoke to ET after the network let the presidential hopeful go. "Mr. Trump stands by his statements on illegal immigration, which are accurate," read the statement. "NBC is weak, and like everybody else is trying to be politically correct -- that is why our country is in serious trouble."


Do you think Schwarzenegger, 68, is a good replacement for Trump on Celebrity Apprentice?

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