Former “Apprentice” reality star Omarosa Manigault Newman had already been fired, but apparently she wasn’t done freaking out over her dismissal. After begging Ivanka Trump to do something on her behalf, and then tried to force her way into the White House residence to see the president.
Manigault Newman, who had a somewhat tumultuous tenure in the White House, was fired by Kelly on Tuesday, Garrett reports. Kelly gave her until Jan. 20 to leave. But Newman did not like those terms and tried to renegotiate. Kelly said no. So, she appealed to Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, but she took no action. Newman then found her way to the White House residence, where she tripped the alarms. Kelly became angry, and had her escorted from the building.
A former White House official told CBS News that Manigault Newman has been a problem since before President Trump was inaugurated. She had personal access to the president and could not be kept out of a White House job, although there was no shortage of efforts to prevent her hiring. She was relegated to the Office of Public Liaison but was still given an “Assistant to the President” title. The first chief of staff, Reince Priebus badly wanted to fire her but was unable to do so. White House chief of staff John Kelly did succeed, where Priebus failed.
In 2013, Mr. Trump tweeted that Newman, “always promises and delivers high drama.”
Her White House tenure has not been without some tension. In February, one White House reporter, April Ryan, of American Urban Radio Networks accused her of bullying and threatening her. She also reportedly had a shouting match at the National Association of Black Journalists convention earlier this year, in response to questioning about her impact on the president’s views of and policies on law enforcement. (via: CBS)
Manigault Newman’s departure comes at the start of what’s expected to be a round of staff changes heading into the new year. Deputy national security adviser Dina Powell is next on the chopping block.
