Omarosa Manigault Newman, one of President Trump’s most prominent black aides, was forced out of her job Tuesday night and didn’t go quietly.
One report said the former star of “The Apprentice” was “physically dragged” away from the White House after she unsuccessfully tried to see Mr. Trump to plead her case.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mrs. Manigault Newman resigned effective Jan. 20, one year after Mr. Trump’s inauguration.
“Omarosa Manigault Newman resigned yesterday to pursue other opportunities,” Mrs. Sanders said in a statement. “We wish her the best in future endeavors and are grateful for her service.”
Other sources said White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly essentially forced her out Tuesday evening in a confrontation that ended with Mrs. Manigault Newman loudly uttering obscenities as she was escorted off the White House grounds.
“He and his predecessor [Reince Priebus] had sought this outcome,” a source close to the White House said of her ouster.
A White House official told The Wall Street Journal that Mrs. Manigault Newman was “physically dragged and escorted off campus.”
Citing anonymous sources, White House reporter April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks reported that during the stormy meeting with Mr. Kelly, Mrs. Manigault Newman “cursed a lot and said she helped elect President Trump.”
Mr. Kelly told Mrs. Manigault Newman that the president had already “signed off” on her employment status, according to the report. She then reportedly walked over to the White House residence to try to speak with Mr. Trump, but was stopped by Secret Service and escorted off the property.
But the Secret Service said Wednesday night that reports that its personnel physically removed her from the White House complex were “incorrect.”
“The Secret Service was not involved in the termination process of Ms Manigault Newman or the escort off of the complex,” the agency tweeted. “Our only involvement in this matter was to deactivate the individual’s pass which grants access to the complex.”
The president tweeted Wednesday night, “Thank you Omarosa for your service! I wish you continued success.”
Mrs. Manigault Newman is a former contestant on Mr. Trump’s reality TV show, “The Apprentice.” She joined the White House last January as director of communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison, where she worked on outreach to constituency groups.
In April, Mrs. Manigault Newman caught some senior White House officials and security personnel off guard when she reportedly brought her 39-person bridal party to the White House for a photo session before getting married at the nearby Trump International Hotel.
Her visitors were said to have “loudly wandered around” the Rose Garden and West Wing.
It’s the latest departure in a new round of staff shakeups in the West Wing. The White House said last week that Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell will resign early next year.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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