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Omarosa Onee Newman (; Manigault; born February 5, 1974), known mononymously as Omarosa, is an American
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
star, lawyer, author, former political consultant and White House aide. She held White House staff roles during the presidential terms of
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
and
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. She rose to prominence as a contestant on the first season of NBC's '' The Apprentice'' and has remained in the public eye largely through recurring roles on reality television, with additional visibility from television interviews and appearances on political programs. Newman became assistant to the President and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison during the Trump administration in January 2017. However, on December 13, 2017, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly fired Newman, citing "money and integrity issues", as well as "inappropriate use of company vehicles". Afterwards, she competed twice on the '' Big Brother'' reality seriesin 2018 on the first season of '' Celebrity Big Brother US'', placing 5th, and in 2021 on '' Big Brother Australia VIP'', placing 12th. In August 2018, Newman published '' Unhinged'', detailing her tenure at the White House and criticizing Trump and his administration. Two days before the book was released, she released the first of as many as 200 secret tapes she recorded during her White House tenure. As of May 23, 2022, she had released four tapes. The first tape released, which was secretly recorded inside the Situation Room, was described as "one of the worst White House security breaches ever," though the tape is thought not to violate the Espionage Act. On March 15, 2020, Newman was forced to pay $61,585 to the US Treasury for her violation of the Ethics in Government Act, in what the judge described as "willful violation" after receiving "countless reminders" to submit her final financial disclosure after being fired from her position in the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
.


Early life and career

Newman was born in Youngstown,
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
, the daughter of Theresa Marie Walker and Jack Thomas Manigault. Newman's father died when she was seven years old. After graduating from The Rayen School in Youngstown, she earned a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
in communications with a concentration in radio in 1996 at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. She later moved to Washington, D.C., to attend
Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...
, where she earned a
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
and worked toward a
doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...
in communications, but did not finish. She temporarily served as a facilitator and presenter at Howard University. Newman has also received
biblical studies Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible, with ''Bible'' referring to the books of the canonical Hebrew Bible in mainstream Jewish usage and the Christian Bible including the can ...
training at Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio. In the 1990s, Newman worked in the office of Vice President
Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...
during the
Clinton administration Bill Clinton's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas, took office following his victory over Republican in ...
. She later said the job had been "a very difficult environment, because they don't believe in training. They just kind of throw you in the fire." Gore's former office administrator, Mary Margaret Overbey, said in 2017 that Newman "was the worst hire we ever made." In her resume, Newman later described her job duties as a "senior scheduling and advance coordinator" in charge of Gore's schedule, though former Gore staffers told ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' that she was only in charge of responding to invitations. She was later transferred to Clinton's Commerce Department via the White House personnel office. Cheryl Shavers, who then served as the Commerce Department's Undersecretary for Technology Administration, said that Newman was "unqualified and disruptive," adding, "I had her removed."


Reality television career


First and seventh seasons of ''The Apprentice'' and ''The Ultimate Merger''

Newman first came to public attention in 2004 after becoming a participant on the first season of NBC's reality television series '' The Apprentice''. Stemming from her confrontational persona on ''The Apprentice'' (particularly in its boardroom segments), Newman soon became the "woman America loved to hate" and was named by E! as "reality TV's number one bad girl". Newman has disagreed with the "villain" label, rather believing herself to be "a shrewd businesswoman," asserting that when a man behaves assertively, he is seen as strong, but when a woman does so, she is portrayed negatively. Newman has also claimed the show's producers manipulated footage of her to make her look like the villain."Omarosa". (April 12, 2004) '' Jet'', p. 60. She was "fired" in week 9. In January 2008, Newman participated in the first season of ''The Apprentice'' sequel show, '' Celebrity Apprentice''; she became the only former ''Apprentice'' participant to be invited back to the series. On ''Celebrity Apprentice'', she quickly became embroiled in a personal feud with fellow contestant
Piers Morgan Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; O'Meara, born 30 March 1965) is an English journalist and media personality. He began his career in 1988 at the tabloid ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun''. In 1994, at the age of 29, he was appointed editor of ...
. She was eventually fired in the 10th episode, after serving as the project manager of the team that, according to Trump, suffered "the biggest slaughter in the history of ''The Apprentice''" in a challenge to sell artwork against a team led by Morgan. She raised $49,000 in total for her charity. In June 2010, Newman and Trump collaborated to create a dating show called '' The Ultimate Merger'', with 12 men competing for her affections. The show aired on TV One.


Thirteenth season of ''The Apprentice''

In February 2013, Newman returned to television and ''The Apprentice'', appearing on Trump's '' All-Star Celebrity Apprentice''. She quickly marshalled her team to an early victory on the show, winning a task involving the creation of a photo booth at Universal Orlando. In a later episode,
Lil Jon Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971), better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, DJ, and record producer. Regarded as a progenitor of the club-oriented hip-hop subgenre crunk, his production and voice presence were inst ...
's team was brought back to the boardroom after they lost. Piers Morgan remarked, "my argument against you has always been that you're not a celebrity... and you don't have star power," which led to a heated argument that resulted in Trump firing Newman. On ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of the '' Late Night'' franchise. Hosted by Jimmy Fallon,
'', when asked by
Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an Americans, American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer. Best known for his work in television, Fallon's breakthrough came during his tenure as a cast member on the ...
whether or not she felt the show set her up by having Piers Morgan act as one of the judges, Newman answered, "I felt like I was competing against Piers, as well as the other contestants." Newman also noted that when she sees Morgan's show canceled in a year, it will be "the best revenge". Omarosa filed a lawsuit against Latoya Jackson following the finale of ''The Apprentice'' 2013.


Controversy

On ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
'' in 2004, Newman accused fellow ''Apprentice'' participant Ereka Vetrini of calling her the "
n-word In the English language, ''nigger'' is a racial slur directed at black people. Starting in the 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been increasingly replaced by the euphemistic contraction , notably in cases where ''nigger'' is Use–menti ...
", a claim Vetrini has denied. Shortly after that appearance, Newman didn't attend a scheduled appearance on the '' Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' show after she reportedly objected upon seeing a
polygraph A polygraph, often incorrectly referred to as a lie detector test, is a pseudoscientific device or procedure that measures and records several physiological indicators such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while a ...
machine. Following her stint on ''Celebrity Apprentice: All Stars'', Newman lashed out at
La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons (TV ...
over Jackson's remarks that insinuated that Newman had murdered her fiancé,
Michael Clarke Duncan Michael Clarke Duncan (December 10, 1957September 3, 2012) was an American actor. He is best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in '' The Green Mile'' (1999), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor a ...
. Jackson made the remarks in ''Celebrity Apprentice'' confessionals and in following media interviews. When asked about the probability of suing
La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons (TV ...
, Newman said:


''Celebrity Big Brother''

Newman appeared on the first season of ''
Celebrity Big Brother ''Celebrity Big Brother'' or ''Big Brother VIP'' is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, t ...
'', a spin-off of the ''Big Brother'' series. The show aired on the CBS network, February 7 to 25, 2018. Newman remained in the game throughout that time, surviving elimination and winning multiple competitions right up until the finale, where she was one of the last five contestants standing. At one point, host
Julie Chen Julie may refer to: * Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name Film and television * Julie (1956 film), ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day * Julie (1975 film), ''Julie'' (1975 film) ...
speculated that Newman could win the entire season. Throughout the season, she expressed her objections to working with Donald Trump and his administration as well as claims about her
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
experience. Many of these political revelations garnered significant media attention and headline news. Newman placed fifth being evicted in a 2–0 house vote.


''Big Brother VIP''

In 2021, Newman competed on '' Big Brother VIP'', the celebrity edition of Australian ''Big Brother''. Newman was nominated for the first eviction by Caitlyn Jenner, and subsequently evicted in a 5–3–2 house vote.


Trump presidential campaign and administration

In a 2015 ''Washington Post'' article, Omarosa identified as a "die-hard" Hillary supporter. She has been a registered Democrat for over a decade. However her personal relationship with the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prevailed and during the
Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the Republican Party in the United States. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal o ...
in July 2016, it was announced she had been named director of African-American outreach for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. In September 2016, she said in an interview with '' Frontline'': "Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump. It's everyone who's ever doubted Donald, whoever disagreed, whoever challenged him. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe." Shortly after Trump won the election, Newman stated that Trump has an "enemies" list of Republicans who voted against him. In December 2016, Newman was announced as one of nine additional members to Trump's presidential transition team. Unlike the rest of President Trump's inner circle appointments, Omarosa didn't have any roots in the Republican party or otherwise conservative or right wing activism. In December 2016, she accompanied former NFL stars Ray Lewis and
Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (February 17, 1936 – May 18, 2023) was an American professional American football, football player, civil rights activist, and actor. He played as a Fullback (gridiron football), fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the ...
to meet with Trump at Trump Tower. On January 3, 2017, it was reported that Newman would join Trump's White House staff, focusing on public engagement. Her specific title was made public the next day as assistant to the President and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison. In her first interview after being named to the Trump
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
, Newman told
Megyn Kelly Megyn Marie Kelly (; born November 18, 1970) is an American journalist, attorney, political commentator, and media personality. She currently hosts ''The Megyn Kelly Show'', a talk show and podcast that airs daily on Sirius XM's Triumph channe ...
that she was a "Trumplican" and had switched her political affiliation to the Republican Party. Newman said she hoped more African Americans would follow her lead and do the same, and accused Democrats of taking African-American voters for granted and making empty promises to them. In June 2017, Newman invited the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to visit the White House, signing the invitation as "the Honorable Omarosa Manigault". Some members of the CBC took exception to her use of the title, which is neither customary for political aides nor typically self-applied. The CBC ultimately declined the invitation. In August 2017, Newman was on a panel about losing loved ones to violence at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in
New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
. She became involved in a shouting match with moderator and fellow panelist Ed Gordon because his questions to her focused on Trump's policies and not her personal history with losing family members to violence.


Departure

On December 13, 2017, the White House announced Newman's resignation, effective January 20, 2018. The
United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security tasked with conducting criminal investigations and providing protection to American political leaders, thei ...
stated the agency was not involved in the termination process or escorting/removing Newman from the complex. The Secret Service's only involvement in the matter was to deactivate her access pass. CNN White House correspondent April Ryan reported that
White House Chief of Staff The White House chief of staff is the head of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, a position in the federal government of the United States. The chief of staff is a Political appointments in the United States, politi ...
John F. Kelly fired Newman, but she disputed the account, stating that she resigned. But Newman had secretly taped her firing, and gave the tape to
Chuck Todd Charles David Todd (born April 8, 1972) is an American television journalist who was the 12th moderator of NBC's ''Meet the Press''. During his time at NBC News between 2007 and 2025, Todd also hosted ''Meet the Press Now'', its daily edition ...
to play on his NBC program ''
Meet The Press ''Meet the Press'' is a weekly American television Sunday morning talk show broadcast on NBC. It is the List of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running program on American television, though its format has changed since th ...
'' on August 12, 2018. This tape caused some controversy, as Newman had brought a recording device into the highly secret White House Situation Room, which was used for several important events in American history like the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound. In February 2018, Newman publicly criticized the Trump administration on the reality television program ''
Celebrity Big Brother ''Celebrity Big Brother'' or ''Big Brother VIP'' is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, t ...
'', and stated that she would not vote for Trump again.


After the Trump administration

Newman wrote a book deeply critical of Trump titled '' Unhinged'', which went on sale on August 14, 2018, in which she labels Trump a racist, and states that witnesses have confirmed the existence of tapes of Trump repeatedly using the word "
nigger In the English language, ''nigger'' is a racial slur directed at black people. Starting in the 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been increasingly replaced by the euphemistic contraction , notably in cases where ''nigger'' is Use–menti ...
" during the filming of ''The Apprentice''. During an interview, fellow contestant
Penn Jillette Penn Fraser Jillette (born March 5, 1955) is an American Magic (illusion), magician, actor, comedian, musician, inventor, television presenter, and author, best known for his work with fellow magician Teller (magician), Teller as half of the t ...
appeared to confirm this, saying, "Yeah, I was in the room" when asked, though without elaborating on what Trump said, and later stood by his comment, saying "I was careful" and "I’ve been told it’s clear". White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the book is "riddled with lies and false accusations" and accused Newman of "trying to profit off these false attacks." When questioned about whether she could say with certainty Trump had never said the "n-word", Sanders said she "can't guarantee anything". Some journalists deemed Newman an unreliable narrator. Newman said that she had turned down an offer of a $15,000 per month "senior position" in the Trump 2020 re-election campaign from Lara Trump, President Trump's daughter-in-law, which came with a
non-disclosure agreement A non-disclosure agreement (NDA), also known as a confidentiality agreement (CA), confidential disclosure agreement (CDA), proprietary information agreement (PIA), or secrecy agreement (SA), is a legal contract or part of a contract between at le ...
(NDA) that was as "harsh and restrictive" as any she had seen in her television career. The president sought to enforce the NDA in an August 2018 filing with the American Arbitration Association, which was rejected in September 2021, directing the Trump campaign to pay Newman's legal fees. After the parties disputed the amount of the settlement, the arbitrator set it to $1.3 million in April 2022. In May 2019, Manigault Newman joined a collective legal action against the Trump campaign organization for allegedly violating the Equal Pay Act. The legal action was instigated earlier that year, when the former Trump campaign staffer Alva Johnson filed a lawsuit against the president in federal court and accused him of sexual assault during the 2016 presidential campaign. Johnson had additionally claimed that "women of color were paid less than white men" with similar or less professional responsibilities on the campaign trail.


Personal life

Newman had an older brother, Jack Thomas Manigault Jr., who was murdered in 2011. In 2000, Newman married Aaron Stallworth and changed her last name to Manigault-Stallworth. They separated, and later divorced, in 2005. She reverted to her maiden name, and eventually started using her first name mononymously. In August 2009, Newman enrolled at the United Theological Seminary in Ohio to pursue a
Doctor of Ministry The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is a doctorate in religious ministry. It often includes an original research component, and may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in ministry. It is categorized as an advanced doctoral de ...
degree. She received a preacher's license in February 2011 from her church (Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California) and was formally ordained on February 27, 2012. In February 2012, Newman was working on finishing her degree at Payne Theological Seminary. She said on '' Oprah: Where Are They Now?'' that she is an
ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
minister. In the segment, Newman said that she was brought to the decision after traveling to
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
, where she found herself alone in an
orphanage An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or abusi ...
with a little girl dying of
AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
. Newman said, of her interaction with the little girl: On August 13, 2010, Newman confirmed that she was dating actor
Michael Clarke Duncan Michael Clarke Duncan (December 10, 1957September 3, 2012) was an American actor. He is best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in '' The Green Mile'' (1999), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor a ...
, whom she had met in the produce section of a Whole Foods supermarket. In July 2012, she found Duncan in
cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...
and performed CPR. Though Newman was able to resuscitate him, he never fully recovered from the heart attack and died on September 3, 2012, after two months in the hospital. Seven months after his death and according to Duncan's family and friends, Newman was under suspicion of changing his
will and testament A will and testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property (estate (law), estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person (executor) is to manage the property until its fi ...
. Duncan's family and friends also claimed that she lied about her engagement, and sold Duncan's belongings without the family's knowledge. She married John Allen Newman on April 8, 2017, at Trump's Washington, D.C., hotel in the Presidential Ballroom of the Old Post Office Pavilion. After the wedding, Newman took her bridal party to do a photo shoot in the White House, but she was unable to post her photos because of concerns over ethics and security. John Newman is the senior
pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...
of The Sanctuary at Mt. Calvary, a church in
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
. Omarosa is currently attending Southern University Law Center and competed at the 2022 and 2023 Case Classic Mock Trial Competition against Hannah Sylvester and Spencer Conley. In 2023, she also competed at Bloomberg Law Presents: The Crimson Cup. In 2025 she competed at the Phi Alpha Delta Mock Trial Competition against Victoria Carroll and Alex Maria.


Television


Books

* ''The Bitch Switch: Knowing How to Turn It On and Off'', 2008 * ''Art My Way: Momarosa's Guide to Living a Vibrant Energetic Life'', 2010 * '' Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House'', 2018


See also

* List of former Trump administration officials who endorsed Kamala Harris * List of Republicans who oppose the Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Manigault, Omarosa 1974 births Living people 21st-century American businesswomen 21st-century American businesspeople 21st-century American women civil servants 21st-century Baptist ministers from the United States 21st-century African-American businesspeople African-American Christians American entertainment industry businesspeople Big Brother (American TV series) contestants Big Brother (Australian TV series) contestants Black conservatism in the United States Businesspeople from Youngstown, Ohio California Democrats California Republicans Central State Lady Marauders volleyball players Central State University alumni Centrism in the United States Criticism of Donald Trump Howard University alumni Ohio Democrats Ohio Republicans The Apprentice (American TV series) candidates First Trump administration personnel First Trump administration controversies