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West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin: Donald Trump wouldn’t be a ‘believable character’

'They'd say... 'this is a silly television show, they should get it closer to real life.''

Christopher Hooton
Friday 13 November 2015 10:59 GMT
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Donald Trump advocates a policy of mass deportation
Donald Trump advocates a policy of mass deportation (Getty Images)

Award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin has suggested that Donald Trump is so cartoonish that he wouldn’t make a convincing president in The West Wing, let alone in real life.

Asked what a West Wing with Trump would be like, Sorkin told Digital Spy: "Awful! (Laughs) Well, no, here's what would happen - I would create that Donald Trump-esque character, but I would have to make some adjustments to the character to make it believable.

"If I just did Trump as Trump, no-one would buy that as a believable character."

The Social Network writer went on to suggest that business magnate Trump is such a stock character his inclusion would have entirely ruined his credibility.

“…The critics would say it was Sorkin going after a straw man,” he added.

"I think that if the characters on The West Wing were watching a TV show about the characters who are running for President right now, they'd say, 'This is insane! You can't believe this, this is a silly television show, they should get it closer to real life.'"

Kevin Spacey previously said something similar with regards to House of Cards. Asked whether he ever worried the show’s plot lines were too sensational, he admitted he occasionally did, but then “turned on the news”.

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