‘Apprentice’ Star Omarosa Manigault Newman Endorses Kamala Harris for President: ‘Donald Trump Has Been Defeated Before’ (EXCLUSIVE)

As a seasoned political insider with over two decades of experience in Washington, I’ve had the privilege to work alongside some remarkable individuals, from Al Gore to President Bill Clinton and even Donald Trump. However, after 20-plus years, it’s time for fresh blood, and I’m excited for the future of our country.

Omarosa Manigault Newman remains in the political arena.

In 2017, I found myself in a significant role as the Director of Communications for the Office of Public Liaison within the White House, serving under President Donald Trump. Interestingly, my journey to this position was somewhat intertwined with a stint in the Clinton administration earlier in my career. What truly catapulted me into the public eye, however, was my participation on “The Apprentice,” where I became one of Donald’s favorite contestants during its inaugural season in 2004. I had the opportunity to return for not just one, but two editions of “The Celebrity Apprentice” as well.

In her 2018 memoir “Unhinged,” Omarosa Manigault-Newman criticized Trump heavily. She claimed to have secretly recorded Chief of Staff John Kelly dismissing her from the White House, and labeled Trump as racist and cognitively challenged. A long-running lawsuit between the Trump campaign and Manigault Newman over an NDA breach ended in 2022 with a ruling in Manigault Newman’s favor.

Currently studying law at Southern University Law Center, Manigault Newman recently shared her views with EbMaster regarding the 2024 campaign. She discusses Trump’s approach towards Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and, for the first time, extends her endorsement in this year’s presidential election.

In your memoir, you described watching Donald Trump undergo cognitive changes during his Presidency. Watching the campaign from afar, do you think he’s continuing to lose a step?

Indeed. A person looking at Donald Trump’s behavior, especially comparing him from 2016 to the present, will notice that his language use is quite restricted. He often speaks in a disjointed manner, and sometimes it seems like he’s drawing ideas randomly from thin air.

And yet it appears he remains Teflon, at least to some number of core voters who seem impervious to breaking from him. What is your theory about his ardent fans?

It’s not accurate to say that losing an election doesn’t affect Donald Trump, as Joe Biden is currently the President. Trump has been defeated before, and it seems that what bothers him most is the possibility of being defeated again, this time potentially by a woman of color. He often directs his harshest criticisms towards women of color. To lose to a woman of color would be particularly damaging to his ego.

What did you make of his calling Kamala Harris’ racial identity into question?

It struck me as questionable, given that Donald has historically been less than truthful about his ancestry. He appeared to be embarrassed about his German roots, which led him to fabricate a tale in “The Art of the Deal” claiming that his ancestors were actually Swedish.

A phenomenon you described in your book was the sense of guardrails keeping Trump, in his time as president, from acting on his worst impulses. In a hypothetical second term, it certainly appears he’d be less held back by the John Kellys of the world. Do you have any insight into that?

Indeed, it’s accurate to say that Mike Pence was chosen as Trump’s 2016 running mate for a specific reason – many believed that Pence would serve as a balancing force. There were numerous discussions suggesting that the establishment could guide Trump towards conservative ideologies. However, quite unexpectedly, Trump took control of the party and eliminated figures who might have influenced his conduct more moderately. He has openly declared that if he wins again, he will empower his most radical associates.

On a more personal note, his legal team went after you fiercely over the course of years, claiming you violated an NDA. Even as a court arbitrator awarded you $1.3 million in legal fees in 2022, do you fear reprisal from Trump should he become president once more?

Previously, we successfully outmaneuvered him in a legal battle. We’re ready to do it again. He doesn’t scare me anymore. Donald Trump took me to court when he was occupying the Oval Office – I can’t imagine a more formidable adversary, can you? And yet, we emerged victorious. Trump has made no secret of his intention to retaliate against those who challenge his MAGA ideology. But I’m no longer intimidated by Donald Trump. Initially, it was quite daunting since he was one of the most powerful figures globally. However, after facing him and winning, I am no longer afraid. And now that people have noticed the pattern, we can stand up against it with greater resolve than before.

Before “The Apprentice,” you worked in a Democratic administration; after, you worked in a Republican administration. In a general sense, do you miss working in the political arena?

It’s high time for a new, youthful era in politics. Politics seems to favor the young and energetic, and I’m optimistic that Kamala Harris will bring forth a wave of fresh, young political leaders. If she triumphs – should she win – I hope this change will be invigorating. Young females deserve the chance to hold top positions within government. I was fortunate enough to have this opportunity twice, which I believe is more than adequate in one lifetime. I entered the White House in my 20s, first with Al Gore, then later working on Presidential appointments with Bill Clinton. After that, I returned years later under Donald’s administration. In my view, over two decades in Washington is a long enough tenure.

Currently, my work revolves around politics as I provide political commentary on Sky News. On election night, I’ll be anchoring their desk live from Washington, D.C., actively participating in the political discourse. Rest assured, I will continue to be a part of this conversation. I am committed to contributing to the ongoing dialogue. However, it’s now time for new perspectives, and I am thrilled about the future of our nation.

You’re living in Baton Rouge as a law student, pursuing your J.D. —

J.D.-M.B.A.!

Wow. Is the goal to practice law?

Without a doubt, my career path lies in becoming a plaintiff’s trial attorney, with a strong focus on making a difference from a social justice perspective. During the pandemic, I took the LSAT and was accepted into all of my preferred law schools. Over the past three semesters, I’ve been attending classes in person, which has been an incredible experience. Yes, I will indeed practice law, and you can expect to see me handling large-scale mass torts cases. My ultimate goal is to be one of the most impactful trial attorneys in the nation.

Are you still in touch with your colleagues from the Trump White House, and, when you speak privately, are they as scandalized as you are?

Give me clarification about what you mean by “scandalized as I am.”

Your book and everything you’re saying indicate that you view Trump in a very negative light. And I’m wondering, if you speak to anyone from that time in your professional life, if they share your negative impression about how he governed and how he might govern again.

Let me put this in context for you. I got to Washington in 1996, so the relationships I cultivated in Washington didn’t start or stop with Donald Trump. Those relationships are strong bonds that I maintain, and so in every administration — Bush, Clinton, Obama, Trump, soon to be Harris, I have strong relationships in all of them. My sources, my network, and my connections allow me to have insight into the inner workings of campaigns and apparatuses and organizations that most people wouldn’t have. Do I stay in touch? It’s not about staying in touch. If you want to survive in Washington, you are only as strong as your connections.

Given these connections, I suppose it carries weight that, in this conversation, you seem optimistic about the potential that Kamala Harris could win.

Personally speaking, reaching this point carries great significance and could bring about a massive shift for young girls and African American boys, marking a crucial moment in our history. This is indeed important; it’s momentous. I’ll be stationed at the anchor desk in Washington, hoping to witness history being made. Despite how close we are, this milestone still feels incredibly significant. I trust that the nation will elect the leader who is most suitable for these times, and I strongly believe that this leader could be Vice President Kamala Harris.

As a kind of closing thought, given the time you spent close to Trump, I wonder if you’ve ever felt there was a loss of potential. He clearly has been a great communicator and connected with people, but put that connection toward an unusually negative sort of politics.

In contemplating my work “Unhinged,” I pondered deeply on how Donald Trump missed a golden chance to become a significant leader, steering our nation toward goodness. Instead, he chose the path of darkness. Therefore, without hesitation and for the first time, I wholeheartedly and completely endorse Kamala Harris for President with a firm 100%.

2024-10-14 21:17