Omarosa Manigault Newman speaks out about abrupt White House exit
Omarosa Manigault Newman is denying reports that she was forcibly escorted from the White House after being fired by Chief of Staff John Kelly, saying the reports are "100 percent false." CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett reports that Manigault Newman was escorted out after she protested the terms of her termination and proceeded to the White House residence, tripping alarms.
"I resigned, and I didn't do that in the residence as being reported," Manigault Newman told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Thursday. "John Kelly and I sat down in the situation room, which is a very secure, very quiet room in the White House, and we had a very candid conversation, and I wanted to make the one-year mark, that was one of the goals I set out to and then get back to my life."
She added, "John Kelly and I had a very straightforward discussion about concerns that I had, issues that I raised, and as a result, I resigned, and it will be taking place January the 20th when I leave this very interesting administration."
Manigault Newman asked where photographic or video evidence was of the reported dramatic exit.
"Where are the pictures or videos?" she said. "If I had confronted John Kelly, who is a very formidable person, it would garner enough attention for anyone in the room to at least take a picture or video or something."
The former assistant to the president says the initial reports of her departure stem from "one individual who has a personal vendetta against me."
"Only one person, no one else, has reported what she's reporting, and this is the one person who has attacked me for the last year, and so you know that this is personal," Manigault Newman said of the initial reports.
While it's unclear who Manigault Newman was referring to, the former "Apprentice" star has had public spats with one White House reporter, April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks, who had accused Manigault Newman of bullying and threatening her.
She also reportedly had a shouting match with Ryan at the National Association of Black Journalists convention earlier this year, in response to questions about her impact on the president's views of and policies on law enforcement.
But Manigault Newman said she supported the Secret Service's assessment of the situation, explaining that her access to the White House was now reduced as a result of her departure.
"The Secret Service put out a statement because they were bothered with the assertion that they were involved with any type of escorting or shutting me down," said Manigault Newman.
She added, "They're reducing to areas I can only go, was absolutely correct and should be done in that way; as people's roles in the White House change so should their access."
She called reports of her entering the president's residence "absurd."
"It's ridiculous to assert that anyone would be able to violate the security parameters that are outlined in the most secure building in the world."
Manigault Newman described Kelly as bringing "much needed order" to the Trump White House, saying there was "a lot of turmoil when he came in" but said she believed Kelly was not certain he "wanted me to be on his team."
"We all had to adjust to his very different militaristic style, but I had a very clear defined role for what I did."
While the former reality TV star has five more weeks left of her White House tenure, she says she still has "quite a story to tell" of her time in the Trump administration.
"I've seen things made me uncomfortable, that have upset me, that have affected me deeply and emotionally, that has affected my community and my people," she said.
She added, "it's a profound story I know the world will want to hear."
