Omarosa Manigault Newman, known for her appearance on The Apprentice and her former role as a Trump aide, has officially endorsed Kamala Harris for president. This endorsement marks a significant political shift for Manigault Newman, who has been a controversial figure in American politics. By supporting Harris, she aligns herself with a candidate who advocates for progressive policies and aims to advance the interests of marginalized communities.
In a recent conversation with Variety’s Ramin Setoodeh, Donald Trump stated that he fired Omarosa Manigault Newman because she was universally disliked and frequently late. This discussion is part of his now-released New York Times bestseller, Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass.
Manigault Newman, who served as the director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison during her time in the Trump White House in 2017, has previously referred to Trump as “a racist” and suggested he was experiencing cognitive decline in her memoir. In her endorsement of Kamala Harris, she reiterated her views on Trump, expressing that she still holds the same sentiments.
“Anyone observing Donald Trump and even taking a moment to compare his demeanor from 2016 to now will notice that he has a limited vocabulary,” Omarosa Manigault Newman stated in her interview. “He rambles and tends to pull things out of nowhere.”
Reflecting on her nearly three-decade career in politics, which includes work in the administrations of former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, she expressed her hope that Kamala Harris will pave the way for a new generation of political leaders. “When she wins — if she wins — I hope she’ll usher in fresh energy,” she said regarding Harris.
Currently a law student at the Southern University Law Center, Manigault Newman also shared her views on Trump’s treatment of Harris in her endorsement.
Omarosa Manigault Newman stated, “He reserves his most vitriolic attacks for women of color. To lose to a woman of color would be devastating to his ego.” She criticized Donald Trump for questioning Kamala Harris’s racial identity, asserting that it was “beyond the pale” given Trump’s own lack of honesty about his lineage.
Reflecting on her experiences with the former president, she expressed her belief that he “squandered the greatest opportunity he had in his life to be a consequential leader, to shape the direction of our nation and bend it toward something positive.” She added, “He opted to go to the dark side,” emphasizing her commitment to endorsing Harris: “That’s why I have no reservation in — I guess I’m saying this for the first time — completely, 100 percent endorsing Kamala Harris for President.”
Manigault Newman gained notoriety as one of Trump’s favored contestants on The Apprentice, first appearing in its debut season in 2004. She later participated in two installments of The Celebrity Apprentice — Celebrity Apprentice 1 and Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars. In 2016, she was appointed as Trump’s campaign director for African American outreach, followed by her role as an assistant to the president and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison in 2017.
By December of that year, Omarosa Manigault Newman was terminated from her role by former chief of staff John Kelly. Following her dismissal, she reportedly made and released a secret recording of her firing from the White House, which led to a lengthy lawsuit. The Trump presidential campaign accused her of violating a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), but the arbitration was ruled in her favor, resulting in her being awarded $1.3 million in legal fees in 2022.
In her interview with Variety, she expressed that she does not fear any reprisal from Trump if he were to regain the presidency. “I’m not intimidated by him,” she stated, reflecting on her past experiences. She acknowledged that it was initially daunting due to his power but emphasized her newfound confidence after successfully challenging him. “Now that we’ve taken them on and won, I don’t fear that. And now that people see the pattern, we can push back against it more fiercely than before.”
Omarosa Manigault Newman expressed optimism about the future of the country, stating, “It’s time for a younger generation. Politics is a young woman’s game.” She emphasized the importance of providing young women with opportunities to serve at the highest levels of government, reflecting on her own experiences: “I had a chance to do it twice, which I think is more than enough in anybody’s lifetime.”
She called for “fresh blood” in politics and conveyed her excitement for the future, asserting, “I believe the nation will choose the leader they need at this time, and I believe that that leader is Vice President Kamala Harris.”
