![](https://media2.salon.com/2024/06/debra_messing_2157050351.jpg)
Donald Trump has become fixated with another female celebrity and this time it's not Taylor Swift — it's vocal Trump critic Debra Messing.
In the new book "Apprentice in Wonderland,” the former president shared with writer and Variety editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh that he met the "Will & Grace" star at the NBC upfronts years ago – both "Will & Grace" and "The Apprentice" aired on NBC – and confirmed that he had a crush on the actress.
However, according to reports by Variety, his feelings towards Messing shifted when she became one of his staunch critics during his 2016 election campaign. He even “admitted that he spent time while in the White House monitoring Messing’s Twitter feed,” the Independent reported.
Setoodeh wrote, “Here in New York, during his early months outside the White House, Trump hasn’t moved on. Messing is on his traitors list, and he can’t shake the hypocrisy — in his mind — that she once supported him as a reality TV star."
The excerpt continued, "For Trump, Messing’s rejection is still a sharp dagger to his heart. 'This Debra Messing, who I always thought was quite attractive — not that it matters, of course . . .'"
Moreover, when Trump met Messing at the NBC upfronts, he described her as, “[Messing] came up to me with her beautiful red hair. She said, ‘Sir — I love you. Thank God for you! You’re saving the network, and you’re saving my show.'"
Trump insinuated to Setoodeh that "The Apprentice" helped "Will & Grace's" rating, however, Setoodeh pointed out to "Trump that 'Will & Grace' came on before 'The Apprentice,' which would mean that it wouldn’t have received a ratings bump from viewers turning into 'The Apprentice.'"
“A lead-in — or a lead out,” Trump replied.