Search
Home

Omarosa Manigault, one of Donald Trump’s most prominent supporters and an infamous contestant from Season One of The Apprentice, is expected to join the president-elect’s White House staff, The Associated Press reports (via CNBC).

According to two sources, Manigault’s job will focus on public engagement, though neither specifics nor a title were offered. Manigault first served as a board member on the independent National Diversity Coalition for Trump, eventually joining the Republican’s campaign as director of African-American outreach last summer.
Manigault figured heavily in Trump’s limited outreach to African-American communities, including a notable appearance at Great Faith International Ministries in Detroit.
Since Trump’s election, Manigault has remained heavily involved with the transition team.

In December, she welcomed NFL legends Ray Lewis and Jim Brown to Trump Tower for a meeting with the president-elect. Lewis posted on Facebook afterwards, “Was great meeting Omarosa and the team … very impressive and passionate.”

Cast as cut-throat and ruthless during her stint on The Apprentice, Manigault often maintained a similar attitude while supporting Trump during the campaign. In an interview with PBS’ Frontline she said, “Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe.”

While Manigault was “fired” from The Apprentice after nine weeks, she has remained one of its most famous contestants, returning to the franchise several times and appearing on other reality shows as well. But as People reported in 2004, prior to her stint on The Apprentice, Manigault held several jobs in Bill Clinton’s White House. During her tumultuous tenure she worked at the White House personnel office, the Commerce Department and answered invitations received by then-Vice President Al Gore.
Cheryl Shavers, the former Under Secretary for Technology at the Commerce Department, recalled that Manigault “was asked to leave as quickly as possible, she was so disruptive.” She added: “One woman wanted to slug her.”