Dec. 14 (UPI) — White House communications officer Omarosa Manigault Newman will leave her position next month, the Trump administration announced Wednesday.
Media outlets, including The Washington Post, reported chief of staff John Kelly fired the former Apprentice contestant was fired and she was escorted out of the building.
Manigault Newman, the Office of Public Liaison communications director, will officially leave her post exactly one year to the day after becoming the highest-profile African American in the Trump White House.
“Omarosa Manigault Newman resigned [Tuesday] to pursue other opportunities,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. “Her departure will not be effective until January 20.”
The Secret Service denied it was involved in escorting her out of the building, posting on Twitter: “Reporting regarding Secret Service personnel physically removing Omarosa Manigault Newman from the @WhiteHouse complex is incorrect. The Secret Service was not involved in the termination process of Ms Manigault Newman or the escort off of the complex. Our only involvement in this matter was to deactivate the individual’s pass which grants access to the complex.”
During her time in the White House, Manigault Newman made a few headlines. In April, she brought a 39-person wedding party to the White House for a photo shoot. It was unclear whether she had permission to do so, and she was banned from posting any of the photos online by White House officials, due to security and ethical concerns.
Manigault Newman formerly worked in the office of Vice President Al Goreas a scheduling correspondent before being transferred to President Bill Clinton‘s office, and then to a post in the Commerce Department. She was known by only her first name in three seasons of The Apprentice. Omarosa appeared on the first season in 2004, in the first celebrity version in 2008 and again in 2013.
“I adore you,” Trump told Manigault Newman in the boardroom on one episode. “We’ve had tremendous success together. You helped make The Apprentice. You helped to make me a star.”
Trump then added, “But Omarosa, you’re fired.”
On Wednesday, Trump posted on Twitter: “Thank you Omarosa for your service! I wish you continued success.”
Earlier, it was announced that Dina Powell, Trump’s deputy national security adviser, also plans to leave her post after the president’s first year in office.
