Omarosa exit leaves Trump administration without a “token” Black diversity marker
Omarosa Manigault Newman was dismissed on Wednesday from her post as the Director of Communications for the White House Office of Public Liason, which leaves Trump’s White House with no Black senior advisors. Although virtually no one on Trump’s staff could tell you exactly what Newman’s job description was, she clearly viewed herself as a liaison between the President and Black Americans as she oversaw outreach efforts to HBCUs and spoke to Black journalists about issues such as the relationship of Black youth with the police. Newman also coordinated a Black History month program at the White House but, according to reports, it was poorly attended.
New reports emerged on Wednesday of a dramatic, over the top, reality show-style dismissal of Newman. Both she and the Secret Service deny this, although the latter does say that Newman’s pass to be on White House grounds has been revoked. According to sources, there was a tension between Newman and Chief of Staff John Kelly revolving around her access to Trump which led to her dismissal, even though she still seems in the good graces of President Orange Man as he tweeted out his support of her after her firing.
Omarosa Manigault Newman is never one to shy away from a camera, and in an interview on Good Morning America, she says that she wasn’t fired, she resigned effective January 20th, and claims that during her time in the White House “I have seen things that have made me uncomfortable, that have upset me, that have affected me deeply and emotionally, that has affected my community and my people and when I can tell my story, it is a profound story that I know the world will want to hear.” It should be noted that Newman did not bash Trump directly, and in fact affirmed her loyalty to him, which doesn’t exactly do her any favors with the “people” she claims to be representing in her statement.
Trump and Press secretary Sarah Sanders have also been having conversations about who to use next to “connect with Black voters,” and if it’s true that they have identified Ben Carson and Senator Tim Scott as their candidates, their strategy seems to be grab the nearest available Black Republican.