The reality show "The Apprentice," which cemented Donald Trump in the US national consciousness years ago, is returning to Amazon Prime, another sign of the warming relationship between the US president and mogul Jeff Bezos.

Relations between the tech titans and the US president have been chilly for several years, but the move is another sign of the rapprochement that has resulted in key figures from Apple, Amazon, Google and Meta getting front-row seats at Trump's inauguration in January after making big donations to his campaign.

Bezos has also tried to make his Washington Post newspaper softer on the president by ordering that articles opposing "personal freedoms and free markets" not be published in the opinion section. Prior to that, Bezos dropped his planned endorsement of Kamala Harris in the US election.

Amazon's streaming division will also air a documentary about first lady Melania Trump.

The first season of "The Apprentice" became available on the platform on Monday and is advertised on the homepage.

Amazon said new seasons will become available weekly until the seventh season, which will be released in April.

Trump welcomed the show's return.

"I'm looking forward to watching this show myself. So many great memories and so much fun, but most importantly, it's been an experience for all of us!" the US president said.

Mark Burnett, the British-American producer considered the brains behind the format, said he hoped the show would attract a new generation of viewers, two decades after it premiered.

"'The Apprentice' is one of the best shows I've ever produced," he stressed.

"President Donald Trump's charismatic screen presence has made it a real hit! Now, thanks to Prime Video, new audiences will enjoy a new season every Monday," he continued.

Trump was already a celebrity in New York in the 1980s and 1990s, but "The Intern" catapulted him to wider national fame when it launched in 2004. Producers portrayed the real estate mogul as a highly successful businessman overseeing an uncompromising competition among budding entrepreneurs. Contestants fought for Trump's approval, allowing them to move on to the next part, and those who failed were fired with Trump's now-famous "You're fired!" catchphrase.

The ultimate winner of the series was paid a six-figure salary to work in the Trump empire.

"The Apprentice" was a huge hit on television for several years and is credited with creating the public persona Trump used to run for the White House in 2016.

The production also spawned dozens of shows around the world, including some that outlasted their American predecessor. Although in 2015, the Trump campaign was the most successful. Trump was fired from the American show for comments he made about Mexican immigrants, the British version is still broadcast on the BBC.

"The Apprentice" is owned by MGM Alternative, whose parent company was bought by Amazon three years ago. | BGNES, AFP