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Trump Used Racial Slur During ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ Former White House Aide Says Trump Used Racial Slur During ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ Former White House Aide Says
(35 minutes later)
President Trump frequently used the word “nigger” while he was the host of the reality television show “Celebrity Apprentice” and there are tapes that can confirm it, according to a new memoir by one of Mr. Trump’s former White House advisers, Omarosa Manigault Newman.President Trump frequently used the word “nigger” while he was the host of the reality television show “Celebrity Apprentice” and there are tapes that can confirm it, according to a new memoir by one of Mr. Trump’s former White House advisers, Omarosa Manigault Newman.
The claims, based on hearsay, are among the more explosive and unverified ones that Ms. Manigault Newman makes in the book, “Unhinged.” It was first reported by the British publication The Guardian, which had an early copy.The claims, based on hearsay, are among the more explosive and unverified ones that Ms. Manigault Newman makes in the book, “Unhinged.” It was first reported by the British publication The Guardian, which had an early copy.
Ms. Manigault Newman also claims that Mr. Trump’s daughter-in-law tried to buy her silence with a campaign contract, that the president secreted a tanning bed into the White House residence, that Mr. Trump described his education secretary, Betsy DeVos, as “ditzy,” that he once chewed up a piece of paper to avoid having it swept up by presidential records-keepers, and that he routinely comments on women’s looks. Ms. Manigault Newman also claims that Mr. Trump’s daughter-in-law tried to buy her silence by offering a $15,000-a-month contract, that the president secreted a tanning bed in the White House residence, that Mr. Trump described his education secretary, Betsy DeVos, as “ditzy,” that he once chewed up a piece of paper to avoid having it collected by presidential record-keepers and that he routinely comments on women’s looks.
“Tiump constructs his own realiry to make himself look good, even in horrible situations, and then he repeats it over and over again until his distortion becomes the only version he knows,” she writes. “Trump constructs his own reality to make himself look good, even in horrible situations, and then he repeats it over and over again until his distortion becomes the only version he knows,” she writes.
She does not explain why she continued a long association with Mr. Trump that benefited her personally beyond describing his world as a “cult” that she was swept into.She does not explain why she continued a long association with Mr. Trump that benefited her personally beyond describing his world as a “cult” that she was swept into.
Of the offensive racial epithet, Ms. Manigault Newman said she never heard Mr. Trump use the word herself, a point that critics of her credibility are certain to seize on. But she said that by the time she was fired by the White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly, she had come to realize that Mr. Trump was a “racist.” Of the offensive racial epithet, Ms. Manigault Newman said she never heard Mr. Trump use the word herself, a point that critics are certain to cite to challenge her credibility. But she said that by the time she was fired by the White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly, she had come to realize that Mr. Trump was a “racist.”
“It had finally sunk in that the person I’d thought I’d known so well for so long was actually a racist,” she said in the memoir. “Using the N-word was not just the way he talks but, more disturbing, it was how he thought of me and African Americans as a whole.’’“It had finally sunk in that the person I’d thought I’d known so well for so long was actually a racist,” she said in the memoir. “Using the N-word was not just the way he talks but, more disturbing, it was how he thought of me and African Americans as a whole.’’
Ms. Manigault Newman worked with Mr. Trump on the show as a first-season contestant, and then was an adviser to his campaign and later in the White House. She was fired in December 2017, after what White House aides said were multiple instances of misconduct, including misuse of a car service and attempting to photograph her wedding on White House grounds.Ms. Manigault Newman worked with Mr. Trump on the show as a first-season contestant, and then was an adviser to his campaign and later in the White House. She was fired in December 2017, after what White House aides said were multiple instances of misconduct, including misuse of a car service and attempting to photograph her wedding on White House grounds.
Ms. Manigault Newman begins the book with Mr. Kelly dismissing her, and suggests throughout that she was weary of the job by the time she departed.Ms. Manigault Newman begins the book with Mr. Kelly dismissing her, and suggests throughout that she was weary of the job by the time she departed.
She eviscerates several staff members throughout, particularly Reince Priebus, the president’s first chief-of-staff who was trying, with tacit approval from Mr. Trump’s family, to curtail Ms. Manigault Newman’s influence throughout the first year of the administration. She eviscerates several staff members, particularly Reince Priebus, the president’s first chief-of-staff who was trying, with tacit approval from Mr. Trump’s family, to curtail Ms. Manigault Newman’s influence throughout the first year of the administration.
The White House initially declined to respond to the allegations in her book, which is scheduled to be released next week, although several advisers have privately questioned her credibility and pointed out that she was very upset at being dismissed.The White House initially declined to respond to the allegations in her book, which is scheduled to be released next week, although several advisers have privately questioned her credibility and pointed out that she was very upset at being dismissed.
By midday Friday, Mr. Trump ordered the White House to respond.By midday Friday, Mr. Trump ordered the White House to respond.
“Instead of telling the truth about all the good President Trump and his administration are doing to make America safe and prosperous, this book is riddled with lies and false accusations,” the press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said in a statement. “It’s sad that a disgruntled former White House employee is trying to profit off these false attacks, and even worse that the media would now give her a platform, after not taking her seriously when she had only positive things to say about the president during her time in the administration.”“Instead of telling the truth about all the good President Trump and his administration are doing to make America safe and prosperous, this book is riddled with lies and false accusations,” the press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said in a statement. “It’s sad that a disgruntled former White House employee is trying to profit off these false attacks, and even worse that the media would now give her a platform, after not taking her seriously when she had only positive things to say about the president during her time in the administration.”
In the book, Ms. Manigault Newman said that Lara Trump, the wife of Mr. Trump’s son Eric — the de facto campaign manager for the next race — called to offer her a $15,000 monthly contract in exchange for her silence on anything negative about the president.In the book, Ms. Manigault Newman said that Lara Trump, the wife of Mr. Trump’s son Eric — the de facto campaign manager for the next race — called to offer her a $15,000 monthly contract in exchange for her silence on anything negative about the president.
“If you come on board, we can’t have you talking about that stuff,” she writes that Ms. Trump said, adding, “Everything is positive, right?” Within a day, Ms. Manigault Newman says she received the contract and a nondisclosure agreement preventing her from talking about anything related to the Trump family or Vice President Mike Pence’s family in perpetuity. “If you come on board, we can’t have you talking about that stuff,” she writes that Ms. Trump said, adding, “Everything is positive, right?” Within a day, Ms. Manigault Newman says, she received the contract and a nondisclosure agreement preventing her from talking about anything related to the Trump family or Vice President Mike Pence’s family in perpetuity.
“I declined the offer,” she writes. “I was done with Trumpworld.”“I declined the offer,” she writes. “I was done with Trumpworld.”
Another time, she writes, she walked into the Oval Office with Michael D. Cohen, her friend and the president’s former personal attorney, and watched as Mr. Trump chewed up a piece of paper that he wanted to keep secret.Another time, she writes, she walked into the Oval Office with Michael D. Cohen, her friend and the president’s former personal attorney, and watched as Mr. Trump chewed up a piece of paper that he wanted to keep secret.
Ms. Manigault Newman also suggested she now believed that she was pushed out of the White House because she was close to getting hold of the secret tapes revealing Mr. Trump using the racist word.Ms. Manigault Newman also suggested she now believed that she was pushed out of the White House because she was close to getting hold of the secret tapes revealing Mr. Trump using the racist word.
She also wrote that she has been investigating the existence of tapes that prove Mr. Trump used the word since late 2016. During the campaign, rumors emerged of “Apprentice” outtakes featuring Mr. Trump saying derogatory things about women and minorities.She also wrote that she has been investigating the existence of tapes that prove Mr. Trump used the word since late 2016. During the campaign, rumors emerged of “Apprentice” outtakes featuring Mr. Trump saying derogatory things about women and minorities.
Tom Arnold, the actor, claimed in late 2016 to have acquired outtakes from the show featuring Mr. Trump denigrating women and minorities. A former producer tweeted that such things existed. Mark Burnett, the producer of the show and a Trump supporter, resisted pressure to release any such footage.
Former campaign aides said that Ms. Manigault Newman was involved in efforts then to sort out whether such tapes existed, and that she never claimed knowledge of them at that time.Former campaign aides said that Ms. Manigault Newman was involved in efforts then to sort out whether such tapes existed, and that she never claimed knowledge of them at that time.
Still, in the book she writes that she had revealing sources.Still, in the book she writes that she had revealing sources.
“By that point, three sources in three separate conversations had described the contents of this tape,” she said. “They all told me that President Trump hadn’t just dropped a single N-word bomb. He’d said it multiple times throughout the show’s taping during off-camera outtakes, particularly during the first season of ‘The Apprentice.’”“By that point, three sources in three separate conversations had described the contents of this tape,” she said. “They all told me that President Trump hadn’t just dropped a single N-word bomb. He’d said it multiple times throughout the show’s taping during off-camera outtakes, particularly during the first season of ‘The Apprentice.’”
She added, “I would look like the biggest imbecile alive for supporting a man who used that word.”She added, “I would look like the biggest imbecile alive for supporting a man who used that word.”
When she was fired, she said she had a “growing realization that Donald Trump was indeed a racist, a bigot and a misogynist.’’When she was fired, she said she had a “growing realization that Donald Trump was indeed a racist, a bigot and a misogynist.’’
She continued: “My certainty about the N-word tape and his frequent uses of that word were the top of a high mountain of truly appalling things I’d experienced with him, during the last two years in particular.”She continued: “My certainty about the N-word tape and his frequent uses of that word were the top of a high mountain of truly appalling things I’d experienced with him, during the last two years in particular.”
Elsewhere in the book, Ms. Manigault Newman paints an unflattering portrait of Ivanka Trump, the president’s elder daughter. She describes Ivanka Trump’s involvement in trying to obtain a list of names of people suspected of leaking information about the White House, and says she has a “potty mouth” that cuts against her reputation.Elsewhere in the book, Ms. Manigault Newman paints an unflattering portrait of Ivanka Trump, the president’s elder daughter. She describes Ivanka Trump’s involvement in trying to obtain a list of names of people suspected of leaking information about the White House, and says she has a “potty mouth” that cuts against her reputation.
The Daily Beast reported earlier this week that Ms. Manigault Newman had secretly taped her own discussions with Mr. Trump and played them for people.The Daily Beast reported earlier this week that Ms. Manigault Newman had secretly taped her own discussions with Mr. Trump and played them for people.
The book contains some basic factual errors, such as asserting that an aide who worked on the transition into the White House was brought in months later.The book contains some basic factual errors, such as asserting that an aide who worked on the transition into the White House was brought in months later.