Former ‘Apprentice’ star Omarosa Manigault Newman to leave White House
Her last day is Jan. 20
Adapted from a story by The Washington Post’s Vanessa Williams.
One of the most prominent African American supporters of Trump is exiting the White House. Omarosa Manigault Newman, the former reality TV star who followed President Trump into national politics, has stepped down from her post as director of communications at the White House Office of Public Liaison.
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote in an email:
“Omarosa Manigault Newman resigned yesterday to pursue other opportunities. Her departure will not be effective until Jan. 20, 2018. We wish her the best in future endeavors and are grateful for her service.”
Manigault Newman, a breakout star in the first season of Trump’s “Apprentice” franchise by playing the role of a backbiting villain, was one of the most visible black aides in his administration.
But her White House role was unclear.
Even James Corden, host of “The Late Late Show,” dedicated a segment to the enigma in early December.
Her time in the White House
- She struggled to help Trump build a relationship with African Americans, who have consistently given the president low approval ratings. She made headlines in June when she put people off by signing an invitation to the Congressional Black Caucus with “The Honorable Omarosa Manigault.”
- She also engaged in public spats with African American groups, including grass-roots activists and black journalists.
- Manigault Newman also frequently clashed with her colleagues inside the White House, reportedly using her friendship with Trump to ignore the chain of command.
- Longtime black Republicans also chafed at Manigault Newman’s White House post, arguing that she was not a true member of the party. Before Trump entered the presidential race, she was backing Democrat Hillary Clinton.
- She also was criticized for promising that Trump would provide additional funding to struggling historically black colleges and universities — which didn’t quite materialize. The presidents of those institutions gained little other than a highly publicized meeting with administration officials in February, which included a photo op with Trump in the Oval Office.
It’s unknown, at this time, what Manigault Newman plans to do next.
