Omarosa Manigault Newman releases recording made in White House Situation Room
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Omarosa Manigault Newman, the fired White House aide seeking publicity for her new memoir about her time in the Trump administration, said in an interview Sunday that the way Chief of Staff John F. Kelly dismissed her involved a “threat” and shared an audio recording of Kelly she said she made in the Situation Room.
The recording was played on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” where Manigault Newman was interviewed by Chuck Todd. In the purported recording, which would constitute a serious breach of White House security, Kelly is heard complaining about her “significant integrity issues” and saying he wants to make her departure “friendly” and without “any difficulty in the future relative to your reputation.”
In a statement Sunday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that “the very idea a staff member would sneak a recording device into the White House Situation Room, shows a blatant disregard for our national security — and then to brag about it on national television further proves the lack of character and integrity of this disgruntled former White House employee.”
The Washington Post reported Friday that after being fired, Manigault Newman declined a $15,000-a-month job offer with President Trump’s campaign, which came with a “companion agreement” including nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions. Copies of both documents were obtained by The Post.
The “consulting agreement” describes Manigault Newman’s proposed services as “speaking appearances,” “fundraising appearances” and “diversity outreach.”
The “companion agreement” states that she could not make disparaging comments about “the campaign, Mr. Trump, [Vice President] Mr. Pence, any Trump or Pence Company, any Trump or Pence Family Member, or any Trump or Pence Family Member Company or any asset any of the forgoing own.” Another provision states that the agreement would survive even if Manigault Newman’s contract expired, was canceled or she was fired.
In her interview with Todd, Manigault Newman said she considered the offer an attempt to buy her silence. “They were not offering a real job,” she said. “They told me I could work from home, if I wanted to work. They didn’t care if I showed up.”
On Sunday, Kellyanne Conway, counselor to Trump, said the job offer was not “hush money.”
“Everybody signs an NDA,” Conway said on ABC’s “This Week,” referring to the nondisclosure agreement. “It sounds like she didn’t want to sign it and didn’t want to go back to the campaign because she had a book on her mind.”
Manigault Newman, who starred on Trump’s show “The Apprentice,” was fired from her administration position in December amid allegations of misconduct, including trying to stage her wedding photos on White House grounds.
Her purported recordings inside the White House — especially the Situation Room, which is supposed to be one of the most secure locations on Earth — represent a serious breach of security, said Ned Price, who was a National Security Council spokesman for the Obama administration.
The Situation Room “is the inner sanctum within an already-secure facility where the most sensitive of the most sensitive information is discussed,” Price said. “It’s where negotiations with Iran were hashed out. It’s where contingency plans for nuclear launches have been developed. The fact that she was recording a conversation in there really raises alarm bells in the minds of people who have worked in that room.”
Price said cellphones and recording devices are not allowed in the room, although his experience was that aides are not screened before entering.
“It’s a system based on honor and integrity, and there’s a sign outside that says, ‘Place your phones here,’ ” he said.
On Sunday, Manigault Newman did not address those issues.
She repeated what she asserts in the book: that Trump is a “racist, misogynist and bigot,” a realization that she said dawned on her only as her rocky White House tenure came to an end.
Todd asked why she did not come to this conclusion sooner, noting that Trump had said many things over the years that people considered racist, including calling Mexicans “rapists” or saying “both sides” were to blame for bloodshed during the white nationalist march in Charlottesville last year. Trump launched his political career advancing the birther conspiracy about President Barack Obama.
“Yes, I was complicit.” said Manigault Newman, who was the highest-ranking black employee in the White House. “. . . I had a blind spot when it came to Donald Trump. I wanted to see the best in him. Obviously, I failed miserably.”
White House aides are exploring what punishment she could face for the purported recordings in the Situation Room and in the building, according to a senior administration official.
Privately, many are wondering how many tapes she might have — and whether they are heard speaking on them.
Manigault has tapes of Trump speaking, a person familiar with the tapes said.
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A secret tape recorder. In the situation room. Yes, obviously, she has integrity issues. And the Chief of Staff is always the head of the President's Staff. As to threats? There wasn't any threat. She is a self promoting fame seeker. Ues, it weas a bad idea to bring her on staff to begin with....and they offered her a $15K per month job doing outreach as part of the campaign......that's not bad money, guess she feels there is more money in promoting herself and having someone ghost wrtie a book for you.
obviously, she has integrity issues
Look at who she worked for.
I have another word for that.
Probably close to the one I was thinking especially for the female persuasion.
Misogyny? Really?
No, more like gender respect.
Actually, no. More like "token"
I don't think there is any honor and integrity in this whole administration/cabinet whatsoever.
Wow, there's a surprise, didn't see that coming from you. Meh. Back to the real world now.
IMO, the administration has a real problem and it's not her, it's what she was able to do in what is considered a ''top secret'' room.
She frickin' recorded a conversation...That should ring a big bell in peoples head...How was she able to do it and WTF is Kelly doing.
Was he supposed to search her before hand? These people in the White House know the rules, very well and it's obvious that she violated policy (and possibly law) by bringing a recording device into the Situation Room.
Doesn't Rump himself have an 'unsecured' phone?
No.
Am I the only one who wishes this Ponderosa bitch would just shaaaaaddduuupp?
This is disturbing on multiple levels - BUT- we should not be surprised. When you build an Administration with people of the lowest integrity and those people are shown time after time that loyalty only flows one way it's human nature to CYA first.
Or it could be another reason she was fired. I did hear the words about violations of integrity concerning her.......
Snicker. Who does have integrity in the administration? Serious question here. Nothing but lies, fraud, scandals, overspending and drama, so obviously integrity has nothing to do with anything. lol. Do they think that is a serious explanation?
Sure, it could be lots and lots of things including her integrity. As I said there doesn't seem to be many with integrity or moral authority in this WH and Administration. This WH was warned that if they continued to lie lie lie that there would come a day when they would need to be believed but no one would.
Amorosa is a lowlife but so is every single one of those who work in this WH and this Administration.
This isn't about Pres. Obama and his staff.
She has a recording of Trump using a word, then it was that someone else had the recording, then she couldn't get the recording, then it was she heard Trump use "IT", then it was ……….
Someone to Trust for sure.
She should probably be charged. As an example.
And it has yet to be released to the public!