New York, New York - A former producer of the hit reality show The Apprentice claims he overheard Donald Trump use a racial slur to describe one of the Black contestants.

In an essay for Slate published on Thursday, Bill Pruitt wrote about his time as a producer for the first two seasons of the wildly successful show, which helped elevate Trump's image "from sleazy New York tabloid hustler to respectable household name."

He went on to claim that while on set during the first season, Trump openly used the N-word while talking about Kwame Jackson, the season's finalist, and expressed resentment at the idea of crowning him the winner.

As producers of the show consulted on Trump's decision, the team would regularly hold private meetings, all of which Pruitt said were recorded.

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In one particular meeting, Pruitt claimed Trump "winced" when told by one producer that Jackson "would be a great addition to the organization."

"Yeah," Trump responded, "but, I mean, would America buy a n****r winning?"

Pruitt did not include direct proof available to back up his claim but did note that all the private team meetings had been recorded. Unfortunately, efforts to release outtakes from the show have fallen short.

According to The Daily Beast, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), the company that owns the outtakes, said in a 2016 statement that "it was MGM's decision, restricted by various contracts, whether to release the outtakes."

But Pruitt's story is notably similar to other people close to Trump's orbit who have also claimed to have heard him use the racial epithet, including his estranged niece, Mary Trump, who told MSNBC host Rachel Maddow that she had personally heard Trump use racial and antisemitic slurs on multiple occasions.

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It also falls in line with some of his public statements and rhetoric that critics have argued have racist undertones.

One of his most infamous moments came in 1989 when Trump publicly called for the execution of the Central Park Five – a group of Black and Latino teenagers from New York City who were accused of raping a white woman in Central Park.

After serving years in prison, the five were later exonerated, but Trump has never apologized or commented on their innocence.

President Joe Biden, who is battling Trump a second time for re-election, released a statement on Thursday, pointing out that "no one is surprised" that Trump would "casually denigrate a Black man."

"Donald Trump is exactly who Black voters know him to be: a textbook racist who disrespects and attacks the Black community every chance he gets, and the most ignorant man to ever run for president," the president added.