Omarosa Manigault Newman
Omarosa Onee Newman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Omarosa Onee Manigault February 5, 1974 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Reality television personality, political consultant, author, former White House official |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Known for | The Apprentice, Celebrity Apprentice, White House aide under Trump administration |
| Notable work | Unhinged (2018) |
Omarosa Onee Newman (; Manigault; born February 5, 1974), widely recognized simply as Omarosa, is an American figure known for her work in reality television, law, authorship, political consulting, and as a former White House official. She initially rose to fame as a participant on the inaugural season of NBC's The Apprentice and sustained her public profile through various reality TV appearances and political media engagements.
Beginning in January 2017, Newman held the position of assistant to the President and director of communications within the Office of Public Liaison under the Trump administration. Her tenure ended in December 2017 when White House Chief of Staff John Kelly dismissed her, citing concerns over "money and integrity issues" alongside "improper use of government vehicles." Following her White House departure, she took part in reality programs such as Celebrity Big Brother US in 2018—finishing fifth—and Big Brother Australia VIP in 2021, where she placed twelfth.
In August 2018, Newman released her book Unhinged, which recounts her time at the White House while offering criticism of the Trump administration. Prior to the book’s publication, she revealed several covert recordings made during her service, including one captured inside the Situation Room—an act regarded as a serious security violation though it did not breach the Espionage Act.
On March 15, 2020, Newman was mandated to pay $61,585 to the U.S. Treasury after willfully neglecting to file her final financial disclosure following her White House exit, thereby violating the Ethics in Government Act despite multiple warnings.
Early life and career
Newman was born in Youngstown, Ohio, to Theresa Marie Walker and Jack Thomas Manigault, who passed away when she was seven years old. After completing her education at The Rayen School, she obtained a bachelor's degree in communications with a focus on radio from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio in 1996. She then pursued graduate studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C., earning a master's degree and undertaking doctoral coursework in communications which she did not finish. Additionally, Newman received training in biblical studies at Payne Theological Seminary located in Wilberforce.
During the 1990s, Newman worked within Vice President Al Gore’s office during the Clinton administration. She characterized this role as difficult due to insufficient formal preparation. A former administrator from Gore’s office described her as "the worst hire we ever made." While Newman claimed responsibilities as "senior scheduling and advance coordinator," other staff members noted that her main task involved managing invitations. Subsequently, she was reassigned to the Commerce Department where Undersecretary Cheryl Shavers labeled her as "unqualified and disruptive," resulting in her removal from that position.
Seasons one and seven of The Apprentice and The Ultimate Merger
Newman first attracted widespread attention in 2004 when she appeared on NBC's debut season of The Apprentice. Recognized for her confrontational demeanor, E! dubbed her "reality TV's number one bad girl," though Newman challenges this "villain" label by portraying herself as a savvy business professional and critiquing gender-based stereotypes. She was eliminated ("fired") during the ninth week.
In January 2008, she returned for Celebrity Apprentice season one as the sole returning contestant. During this season, she became embroiled in a high-profile conflict with fellow contestant Piers Morgan and was dismissed in episode ten after leading her team to a considerable defeat in an art sales task. Throughout the competition, she raised $49,000 for charity.
In June 2010, Newman collaborated with Donald Trump to create the dating reality series The Ultimate Merger, which featured twelve men competing for her romantic interest. This program aired on TV One.
Thirteenth season of The Apprentice
In early 2013, Newman made a television comeback on Trump's All-Star Celebrity Apprentice. She successfully guided her team to an initial triumph with a photo booth challenge at Universal Orlando. However, after Lil Jon's team was defeated, Piers Morgan criticized her for lacking star quality, sparking a tense confrontation that resulted in Trump's decision to dismiss Newman. On an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, she revealed feeling as though she was competing not only against other contestants but also against Morgan himself, and she predicted the cancellation of his show as "the best revenge".
Following the 2013 finale of The Apprentice, Omarosa initiated legal action against La Toya Jackson.
Controversy
During a 2004 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Newman accused fellow contestant Ereka Vetrini of uttering the "n-word", which Vetrini denied. Shortly thereafter, Newman declined to participate in Jimmy Kimmel Live! after noticing a polygraph machine on set.
After her stint on Celebrity Apprentice: All Stars, Newman filed a lawsuit against La Toya Jackson over allegations implying that Newman was responsible for the death of her fiancé, Michael Clarke Duncan. Jackson had made these claims during the show and in subsequent interviews. Newman condemned Jackson's statements as "disgusting" and "despicable," entrusting her attorneys to handle the situation.
Celebrity Big Brother
Newman took part in the inaugural season of Celebrity Big Brother, a spin-off from the Big Brother franchise, broadcast on CBS between February 7 and 25, 2018. She remained active throughout the competition, securing multiple wins in challenges and advancing to the final round as one of the last five contestants standing. Host Julie Chen even suggested that Newman had a strong chance of winning the season. Throughout the show, she openly criticized collaborating with Donald Trump and his administration, sharing political insights that garnered considerable media attention. Ultimately, she was evicted in fifth place following a 2–0 vote from fellow houseguests.
Big Brother VIP
In 2021, Newman participated in Big Brother VIP, the celebrity version of Australian Big Brother. She was nominated for eviction first by Caitlyn Jenner and was subsequently evicted with a house vote tally of 5–3–2.
Trump presidential campaign and administration
Despite being a longtime registered Democrat and self-described "die-hard" supporter of Hillary Clinton in 2015, Newman's personal connection with Donald Trump led to her appointment as director of African-American outreach for his 2016 presidential campaign. She was publicly announced in this capacity during the Republican National Convention held in July 2016. By September that year, Newman voiced strong endorsement of Trump's forthcoming presidency and asserted that his detractors would ultimately have to "bow down" to him. After Trump's election victory, she disclosed that his campaign maintained an "enemies" list targeting Republicans who opposed him.
In December 2016, Newman became part of Trump's presidential transition team as one of nine newly added members. Unlike many other Trump appointees, she did not possess prior experience in Republican or conservative activism. During that same month, she accompanied NFL legends Ray Lewis and Jim Brown to meet Trump at Trump Tower.
On January 3, 2017, reports emerged that Newman would join Trump's White House staff with a focus on public engagement. Her official title was assistant to the President and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison. She identified herself as a "Trumplican," having changed her political affiliation to the Republican Party while encouraging more African Americans to do likewise and criticizing Democrats for taking their votes for granted.
In June 2017, Newman extended an invitation to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to visit the White House, signing off as "the Honorable Omarosa Manigault," a designation that drew scrutiny for being unusual among political aides. The CBC declined this invitation. Later, in August 2017 at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, Newman engaged in a heated debate with panelist Ed Gordon regarding questions centered on Trump's policies rather than her personal experiences with family violence.
Departure
On December 13, 2017, the White House declared that Newman would step down, with her resignation taking effect on January 20, 2018. The United States Secret Service clarified that it had no role in her dismissal or removal, only deactivating her security clearance. CNN journalist April Ryan reported that White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly had terminated Newman; however, Newman contested this account, asserting she resigned following an honest discussion with Kelly inside the Situation Room.
Newman covertly recorded the conversation surrounding her dismissal and later shared the audio with Chuck Todd, who aired it on NBC’s Meet The Press on August 12, 2018. The incident generated controversy due to the presence of a recording device within the highly secure confines of the White House Situation Room.
In February 2018, Newman publicly voiced criticism of the Trump administration during her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, stating she would not support Trump in future elections.
Post-Trump administration
Newman published her book Unhinged on August 14, 2018, delivering a scathing critique of Trump and alleging the existence of recordings capturing him using the racial slur "nigger" during his time on The Apprentice. Fellow contestant Penn Jillette appeared to confirm his presence but refrained from providing further details. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders dismissed the book as "full of falsehoods," accusing Newman of seeking financial gain and stating she could not confirm that Trump never used such language. Some members of the press questioned Newman's credibility. Newman turned down a senior position in Trump's 2020 campaign that offered $15,000 per month, citing an overly restrictive non-disclosure agreement (NDA) proposed by Lara Trump. The Trump campaign attempted to enforce this NDA in 2018; however, a court rejected their claim in 2021 and ordered the campaign to pay Newman's legal expenses. After disagreements regarding settlement terms, an arbitrator awarded Newman $1.3 million in April 2022.
In May 2019, Manigault Newman joined a collective lawsuit against the Trump campaign alleging violations of the Equal Pay Act. This action followed a separate lawsuit filed by former staffer Alva Johnson, who accused Trump of sexual assault during the 2016 campaign and claimed that women of color received lower pay than white men holding comparable positions.
Personal life
Newman had an elder brother named Jack Thomas Manigault Jr., who was tragically murdered in 2011.
She married Aaron Stallworth in 2000 and adopted the surname Manigault-Stallworth. The couple separated and finalized their divorce in 2005. Subsequently, she reverted to her birth name and eventually began using only her first name professionally.
In August 2009, Newman enrolled at United Theological Seminary in Ohio to pursue a Doctor of Ministry degree. She earned a preacher’s license from Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles in February 2011 and was ordained on February 27, 2012. By early 2012, she was completing her studies at Payne Theological Seminary. Newman revealed on Oprah: Where Are They Now? that she is an ordained Baptist minister—a vocation inspired by a visit to a West African orphanage where she encountered a child dying from AIDS.
On August 13, 2010, Newman confirmed she was romantically involved with actor Michael Clarke Duncan after meeting him at a Whole Foods store. In July 2012, she administered CPR when Duncan experienced cardiac arrest; despite initial resuscitation efforts, he passed away two months later. Following his death, Duncan’s family accused Newman of altering his will and selling his possessions without their consent.
On April 8, 2017, she married John Allen Newman at Trump's hotel in Washington, D.C. After their wedding ceremony, she took her bridal party for photographs at the White House but chose not to share them publicly due to ethical and security considerations. John Newman serves as senior pastor at The Sanctuary at Mt. Calvary church located in Jacksonville, Florida.
Omarosa is currently enrolled at Southern University Law Center and participated in the Case Classic Mock Trial Competitions during both 2022 and 2023 against opponents Hannah Sylvester and Spencer Conley. In addition, she competed at Bloomberg Law Presents: The Crimson Cup in 2023 and took part in the Phi Alpha Delta Mock Trial Competition in 2025 facing Victoria Carroll and Alex Maria.
Television
| Year | Program | Details | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Apprentice | Finished in 8th place | |||||||||||||
| 2004 | Girls Behaving Badly | Season 4, episode 15 appearance | |||||||||||||
| 2005 | Fear Factor | Achieved 4th place | |||||||||||||
| 2005 | The Surreal Life | Featured in Season 5 | |||||||||||||
| 2007 | I Love New York | Appeared in Season 1, episode 3 | |||||||||||||
| 2008 | Celebrity Apprentice | Placed 6th overall | |||||||||||||
| 2008 | The Wendy Williams Show | Guest role | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | The Great Debate | Served as commentator | |||||||||||||
| 2010 | The Ultimate Merger | Hosted the show | |||||||||||||
| 2010 | The Arrangement | Featured in Season 1, episode 5 | |||||||||||||
| 2012 | The Eric Andre Show | Guest appearance | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | All-Star Celebrity Apprentice | Ended in 10th place | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | Oprah: Where Are They Now? | Guest spot | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | The Wendy Williams Show | Guest spot | |||||||||||||
| 2013 | Bethenny | Guest appearance | |||||||||||||
| 2017 | Say Yes to the Dress | Appeared in Season 15, episode 5 | |||||||||||||
| 2018 | Celebrity Big Brother US 1 | Finished in 5th place | |||||||||||||
| 2018 |
The Talk Guest appearance |- |
2018 |
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Guest appearance |- |
2018 |
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Guest appearance |- |
2019 |
Celebrity Big Brother US 2 Served as guest host |- |
2021 |
Big Brother Australia VIP First contestant evicted |- |
2022 |
Married to Medicine Featured in Season 9, episodes 3 and 12 |- |
2023 |
House of Villains Secured 6th place |- |
2025 |
Got To Get Out Participated as contestant |} Books
See also
External links
|
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1974 births
- Living people
- 21st-century American businesswomen
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century African-American businesspeople
- American entertainment industry businesspeople
- Businesspeople from Youngstown, Ohio
- California Democrats
- California Republicans
- Central State University alumni
- Howard University alumni
- The Apprentice (American TV series) candidates
- First Trump administration personnel
- Big Brother (Australian TV series) contestants