Martha Stewart's Beef With Donald Trump Goes Way Back (Even Before His Presidency)

In a simpler time, Martha Stewart and Donald Trump were merely pop-culture figures, bolstering their names into global brands, and getting into the occasional beef in the process. The origin of the pair's tiff lies in the 2005 TV show, "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart." The spinoff of Trump's popular reality competition failed to get good ratings and wasn't renewed for a second season. A fiery back-and-forth erupted between Stewart and Trump in early 2006 when the lifestyle guru told Newsweek that her show tanked because Trump refused to let his version of the NBC series wind down. Stewart claimed she was told she'd get to "fire" Trump on the new show. Instead, the original and spinoff ended up competing for viewership. "Having two 'Apprentices' was as unfair to him as it was unfair to me," she said. "But Donald really wanted to stay on."

Stewart's public mention of the proposed on-screen firing became a major point of contention. "It's about time you started taking responsibility for your failed version of 'The Apprentice,'" the property mogul responded in a letter. In their initial barbs, both celebrities expressed disappointment at the other's conduct. "My great loyalty to you has gone totally unappreciated," contended Trump. Stewart called his letter "mean-spirited and reckless," saying she couldn't believe her "long-time friend Donald Trump" had written it. Trump remains among the famous people Stewart can't stand. Her not-so-secret beef with fellow culinary icon Ina Garten is the only other feud that seems to go back as far.

Martha Stewart has no qualms about publicly poking fun at former friend Donald Trump's expense. In a 2007 episode of "The Martha Stewart Show," guest star Joan Rivers brought up Trump Steaks, joking that she had to be informed that Trump owned the steak company and hadn't been slaughtered for the steaks themselves. "Too bad," responded Stewart without missing a beat. While playing "shag, marry, kill," during a segment of 92Y Talks in 2013, Stewart surprised audiences when she immediately picked Trump as the person she'd kill (the other options included Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates).

After Trump's first presidential run, the zingers shifted to his qualifications. In a 2015 episode of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," after denying being "buddies" with him, Stewart went on to say, "Now he thinks he can be president." She did congratulate the Trump family when he won, despite being a vocal Hillary Clinton supporter in the 2016 election, leading to speculation that she was finally burying the hatchet. However, per the Chicago Tribune, she quickly followed up with, "Guess what, we'll have a true entrepreneur in the White House! ... He has no other experience." The following year, Stewart was spotted giving the finger to a portrait of the president at a New York art fair (via CBS News). 

Slowly, Stewart's critique turned somber. Supporting Kamala Harris for president in 2024, she told the Daily Beast she wanted a leader who "doesn't hate democracy." In a 2026 Instagram post, Stewart spoke out against Trump's immigration crackdown.