Arnold Schwarzenegger quits 'Celebrity Apprentice' because of 'baggage' (aka Trump)

Arnold Schwarzenegger won't be back for a second season of The New Celebrity Apprentice, and it's because of Donald Trump.

In an interview with Empire magazine, Schwarzenegger said, "I learned a lot, I had a great time, it was a really great opportunity, but under the circumstances I don't want to do it again."

Trump's shadow has loomed large over the NBC reality franchise -- especially since the POTUS is still an executive producer on the series -- and Schwarzenegger claims that the president's ongoing connection with the show is what damaged it.

"It's not about the show, because everyone I ran into came up to me and said 'I love the show ... but I turned it off because as soon as I read Trump's name I'm outta there!'" he told Empire. "When people found out that Trump was still involved as executive producer and was still receiving money from the show, then half the people [started] boycotting it."

He added, "Even if asked [to do it again] I would decline. With Trump being involved in the show people have a bad taste and don't want to participate as a spectator or as a sponsor or in any other way support the show. It's a very divisive period now and I think this show got caught up in all that division."

Schwarzenegger initially defended the president's credit on the show, comparing it to the royalties he received from his films during his time as governor of California, but it wasn't long before he and Trump were sparring on Twitter over the revival's poor ratings performance.

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The governator responded to that salvo by tweeting Trump a link to a news story reporting that Schwarzenegger had released his tax returns while running for re-election.

“I loved every second of working with NBC and Mark Burnett," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "Everyone – from the celebrities to the crew to the marketing department – was a straight 10, and I would absolutely work with all of them again on a show that doesn’t have this baggage.”

The New Celebrity Apprentice ended its Schwarzenegger-led season in February. It has yet to be renewed for another season.

NBC had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.