Omarosa Onee Manigault Newman () ( Manigault; born 1974), often known as Omarosa, is an American
reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
show participant, writer, and former political aide to former US President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
. She became widely known as a contestant on the
first season of
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
's reality television series ''
The Apprentice
''The Apprentice'' is a Reality competition, reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States.
Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with variou ...
''.
Newman became assistant to the President and director of communications for the
Office of Public Liaison
The White House Office of Public Engagement is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. Under the administration of President Barack Obama, it was called the White House Office of Public ...
during the
Trump administration
Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
in January 2017. However, on December 13, 2017, White House Chief of Staff,
John Kelly, fired Newman, citing "money and integrity issues", as well as "inappropriate use of company vehicles". Afterwards, she competed twice on the ''
Big Brother'' reality series - in 2018 on
first season of ''
Celebrity Big Brother US'' (placing 5th), and in 2021 on ''
Big Brother Australia VIP'' (placing 12th)
In August 2018, Newman published ''
Unhinged'', detailing her tenure at the White House and criticizing Trump and his administration. Two days before the book was released, she released the first of as many as 200 secret tapes she recorded during her White House tenure. As of May 23, 2022, she has released four tapes. The first tape released, which was secretly recorded inside the
Situation Room
The Situation Room, officially known as the John F. Kennedy Conference Room, is a conference room and intelligence management center in the basement of the West Wing of the White House. It is run by the National Security Council staff for the ...
, was described as "one of the worst White House security breaches ever," though the tape is thought not to violate the
Espionage Act
The Espionage Act of 1917 is a United States federal law enacted on June 15, 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I. It has been amended numerous times over the years. It was originally found in Title 50 of the U.S. Code (War ...
.
On March 15, 2020, Newman was forced to pay $61,585 to the US Treasury for her violation of the
Ethics in Government Act
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 is a United States federal law that was passed in the wake of the Nixon Watergate scandal and the Saturday Night Massacre. It was intended to fight corruption in government.
Summary
The Ethics in Governmen ...
, in what the judge described as "willful violation" after receiving "countless reminders" to submit her final financial disclosure after being fired from her position in the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
.
Early life and career
Newman was born in
Youngstown
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area, which ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, the daughter of Theresa Marie Walker and Jack Thomas Manigault. Newman's father was murdered when she was seven years old. After graduating from
The Rayen School in Youngstown, she earned a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in communications with a concentration in radio in 1996 at
Central State University
Central State University (CSU) is a public, historically black land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
Established by the state legislature in 1887 as a two-year program for te ...
in
Wilberforce, Ohio
Wilberforce is a census-designated place (CDP) in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,271 at the 2010 census, up from 1,579 at the 2000 census.
History
After Wilberforce College was established in 1856, the community was a ...
.
She later moved to
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, to attend
Howard University
Howard University (Howard) is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commissi ...
, where she earned a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. and worked toward a
doctorate
A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...
in communications, but did not finish.
Newman has also received
biblical studies
Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible (the Old Testament and New Testament).''Introduction to Biblical Studies, Second Edition'' by Steve Moyise (Oct 27, 2004) pages 11–12 Fo ...
training at
Payne Theological Seminary
Payne Theological Seminary is an African Methodist Episcopal seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is the oldest free-standing African-American seminary in the United States. Incorporated in 1894 by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, it ...
in
Wilberforce, Ohio
Wilberforce is a census-designated place (CDP) in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,271 at the 2010 census, up from 1,579 at the 2000 census.
History
After Wilberforce College was established in 1856, the community was a ...
.
In the 1990s, Newman worked in the office of Vice President
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...
during the
Clinton administration
Bill Clinton's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas, took office following a decisive election victory over Re ...
. She later said the job had been "a very difficult environment, because they don't believe in training. They just kind of throw you in the fire."
Gore's former office administrator, Mary Margaret Overbey, has said in 2017, that Newman "was the worst hire we ever made."
She was later transferred to Clinton's
Commerce Department
The United States Department of Commerce is an executive department of the U.S. federal government concerned with creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for busin ...
via the White House personnel office.
Cheryl Shavers, who then served as the Commerce Department's Undersecretary for Technology Administration, said that Newman was "unqualified and disruptive," adding, "I had her removed."
Reality television career
First and seventh seasons of ''The Apprentice'' and ''The Ultimate Merger''
Newman first came to public attention in 2004 after becoming a participant on the
first season of
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
's reality television series ''
The Apprentice
''The Apprentice'' is a Reality competition, reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States.
Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with variou ...
''. Stemming from her confrontational persona on ''The Apprentice'' (particularly in its boardroom segments), Newman soon became the "woman America loved to hate"
[ and was named by E! as “reality TV's number one bad girl“.] Newman has disagreed with the "villain" label, rather believing herself to be "a shrewd businesswoman," asserting that when a man behaves assertively, he is seen as strong, but when a woman does so, she is portrayed negatively. Newman has also claimed the show's producers have manipulated footage of her to make her look like the villain.["Omarosa". (April 12, 2004) '' Jet'', p. 60.] She was “fired” in week 9.
In January 2008, Newman participated in the first season of ''The Apprentice'' sequel show, ''Celebrity Apprentice
''The Celebrity Apprentice'' is an American television reality competition series. It was a variation of ''The Apprentice'' series, hosted by then real estate developer (later 45th president of the United States
The president of the Unite ...
''; she became the only former ''Apprentice'' participant to be invited back to the series. On ''Celebrity Apprentice'', she quickly became embroiled in a personal feud with fellow contestant Piers Morgan
Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; né O'Meara; born 30 March 1965) is a British broadcaster, journalist, writer, and television personality. He began his Fleet Street career in 1988 at '' The Sun''. In 1994, aged 29, he was appointed editor of the ...
. She was eventually fired in the 10th episode, after serving as the project manager of the team that, according to Trump, suffered "the biggest slaughter in the history of ''The Apprentice''" in a challenge to sell artwork against a team led by Morgan. She raised $49,000 in total for her charity.
In June 2010, Newman and Trump collaborated to create a dating show called ''The Ultimate Merger
''Donald J. Trump Presents The Ultimate Merger'' is an American reality television dating game show. A spin-off of '' The Apprentice'', the series premiered on TV One on June 17, 2010. The series' first season starred Omarosa, who in 2004 appe ...
'', with 12 men competing for her affections. The show aired on TV One.
Thirteenth season of ''The Apprentice''
In February 2013, Newman returned to television and ''The Apprentice'', appearing on Trump's ''All-Star Celebrity Apprentice
''The Celebrity Apprentice 6'' (also known as ''All-Star Celebrity Apprentice'' or ''The Apprentice 13'') is the sixth installment of the reality game show, ''Celebrity Apprentice'', which premiered on Sunday, March 3, 2013. This season's cast is ...
''. She quickly marshalled her team to an early victory on the show, winning a task involving the creation of a photo booth at Universal Orlando. In a later episode, Lil Jon
Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971) better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, producer and former frontman of the rap group Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz. He was instrumental in the emergence of the hip hop subgenre cru ...
's team was brought back to the boardroom after they lost. Piers Morgan remarked, "my argument against you has always been that you're not a celebrity... and you don't have star power," which led to a heated argument that resulted in Trump firing Newman. On ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon.[ About pag ...](_blank)
'', when asked by Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The Ton ...
whether or not she felt the show set her up by having Piers Morgan act as one of the judges, Newman answered, "I felt like I was competing against Piers, as well as the other contestants." Newman also noted that when she sees Morgan's show canceled in a year, it will be "the best revenge".
Controversy
On ''The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...
'' in 2004, Newman accused fellow ''Apprentice'' participant Ereka Vetrini of calling her the "n-word
In the English language, the word ''nigger'' is an ethnic slur used against black people, especially African Americans. Starting in the late 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been progressively replaced by the euphemism , notably in cases ...
", a claim Vetrini has denied. Shortly after that appearance, Newman didn't attend a scheduled appearance on the ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...
'' show after she reportedly objected upon seeing a polygraph
A polygraph, often incorrectly referred to as a lie detector test, is a device or procedure that measures and records several physiological indicators such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while a person is asked an ...
machine.
Following her stint on ''Celebrity Apprentice: All Stars'', Newman lashed out at La Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons'', ...
over Jackson's remarks that insinuated that Newman had murdered her fiancé, Michael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan (December 10, 1957September 3, 2012) was an American actor. He was best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in '' The Green Mile'' (1999), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor a ...
. Jackson made the remarks in ''Celebrity Apprentice'' confessionals and in following media interviews.
When asked about the probability of suing La Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons'', ...
, Newman said:
''Celebrity Big Brother''
Newman appeared on the first season of ''Celebrity Big Brother
''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguest ...
'', a spin-off of the ''Big Brother'' series. The show aired on the CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
network, February 7 to 25, 2018. Newman remained in the game throughout that time, surviving elimination and winning multiple competitions right up until the finale, where she was one of the last five contestants standing. At one point, host Julie Chen
Julie may refer to:
* Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name
Film and television
* ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day
* ''Julie'' (1975 film), a Hindi film by K. S. Sethumadhava ...
speculated that Newman could win the entire season. Throughout the season, she expressed her objections to working with Donald Trump and his administration as well as claims about her White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
experience. Many of these political revelations garnered significant media attention and headline news. Newman placed fifth.
''Big Brother VIP''
In 2021, Newman competed on ''Big Brother VIP
''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguest ...
'', the celebrity edition of Australian ''Big Brother''.
Newman was nominated for the first eviction by Caitlyn Jenner, in a ploy to eliminate Newman. She was evicted in a 5-3-2 house vote.
Trump presidential campaign and administration
In a 2015 ''Washington Post'' article, Omarosa identified as a "die-hard" Hillary supporter. She has been a registered Democrat for over a decade. However her personal relationship with the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prevailed and during the Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...
in July 2016, it was announced she had been named director of African-American outreach for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. In September 2016, she said in an interview with ''Frontline
Front line refers to the forward-most forces on a battlefield.
Front line, front lines or variants may also refer to:
Books and publications
* ''Front Lines'' (novel), young adult historical novel by American author Michael Grant
* ''Frontlines ...
'': "Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump. It's everyone who's ever doubted Donald, whoever disagreed, whoever challenged him. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe." Shortly after Trump won the election, Newman stated that Trump has an "enemies" list of Republicans who voted against him.
In December 2016, Newman was announced as one of nine additional members to Trump's presidential transition team. Unlike the rest of President Trump's inner circle appointments, Omarosa didn't have any roots in the Republican party or otherwise conservative or right wing activism. In December 2016, she accompanied former NFL stars Ray Lewis
Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional American football, football player who played as a Linebacker#Middle linebacker, middle linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens for his entire 17-year career in th ...
and Jim Brown
James Nathaniel Brown (born February 17, 1936) is a former American football player, sports analyst and actor. He played as a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be one ...
to meet with Trump at Trump Tower
Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organization, as well ...
.
On January 3, 2017, it was reported that Newman would join Trump's White House staff, focusing on public engagement. Her specific title was made public the next day as assistant to the President and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison
The White House Office of Public Engagement is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. Under the administration of President Barack Obama, it was called the White House Office of Public ...
. In her first interview after being named to the Trump White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
, Newman told Megyn Kelly
Megyn Marie Kelly (; born November 18, 1970) is an American journalist and media personality. She currently hosts a talk show and podcast, ''The Megyn Kelly Show'', that airs live daily on SiriusXM. She was a talk show host at Fox News from 200 ...
that she was a "Trumplican" and had switched her political affiliation to the Republican Party. Newman said she hoped more African Americans would follow her lead and do the same, and accused Democrats of taking African-American voters for granted and making empty promises to them.
In June 2017, Newman invited the Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is a caucus made up of most African-American members of the United States Congress. Representative Karen Bass from California chaired the caucus from 2019 to 2021; she was succeeded by Representative Joyce ...
(CBC) to visit the White House, signing the invitation as "the Honorable Omarosa Manigault". Some members of the CBC took exception to her use of the title, which is neither customary for political aides nor typically self-applied. The CBC ultimately declined the invitation. In August 2017, Newman was on a panel about losing loved ones to violence at the National Association of Black Journalists
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is an organization of African-American journalists, students, and media professionals. Founded in 1975 in Washington, D.C., by 44 journalists, the NABJ's stated purpose is to provide quality p ...
convention in . She became involved in a shouting match with moderator and fellow panelist Ed Gordon because his questions to her focused on Trump's policies and not her personal history with losing family members to violence.
Departure
On December 13, 2017, the White House announced Newman's resignation, effective January 20, 2018. The United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
stated the agency was not involved in the termination process or escorting/removing Newman from the complex. The Secret Service's only involvement in the matter was to deactivate her access pass. CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
White House correspondent
The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the president of the United States. The WHCA was founded on February 25, 1914, by journalists in response to an unfounded rumor t ...
April Ryan
April Danielle Ryan (born September 5, 1967) is an American reporter, author, and White House Correspondent for The Grio. From January 1997 to November 2020 Ryan served as a White House correspondent and Washington, D.C., bureau chief for Ameri ...
reported that White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly fired Newman, but she disputed the account, stating that she resigned. But Newman had secretly taped her firing, and gave the tape to Chuck Todd
Charles David Todd (born April 8, 1972) is an American television journalist who is the 12th and current moderator of NBC's ''Meet the Press''. He also hosts ''Meet the Press Now'', its daily edition on NBC News Now and is the Political Directo ...
to play on his NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
program ''Meet The Press
''Meet the Press'' is a weekly American television news/interview program broadcast on NBC. It is the longest-running program on American television, though the current format bears little resemblance to the debut episode on November 6, 1947. ' ...
'' on August 12, 2018. This tape caused some controversy, as Newman had brought a recording device into the highly secret White House Situation Room
The Situation Room, officially known as the John F. Kennedy Conference Room, is a conference room and intelligence management center in the basement of the West Wing of the White House. It is run by the National Security Council staff for the u ...
, which was used for several important events in American history like the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound.
In February 2018, Newman publicly criticized the Trump administration on the reality television program ''Celebrity Big Brother
''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguest ...
'', and stated that she would not vote for Trump again.
Aftermath
Newman wrote a book deeply critical of Trump titled '' Unhinged'', which went on sale on August 14, 2018, in which she labels Trump a racist, and states that witnesses have confirmed the existence of tapes of Trump repeatedly using the word "nigger
In the English language, the word ''nigger'' is an ethnic slur used against black people, especially African Americans. Starting in the late 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been progressively replaced by the euphemism , notably in cases ...
" during the filming of ''The Apprentice''. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders (born August 13, 1982) is an American former political spokesperson and the governor-elect of Arkansas. She was the 31st White House press secretary, serving under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019. She ...
said that the book is "riddled with lies and false accusations" and accused Newman of "trying to profit off these false attacks." When questioned about whether she could say with certainty Trump had never said the "n-word", Sanders said she "can't guarantee anything". Newman said that she had turned down an offer of a $15,000 per month "senior position" in the Trump 2020 re-election campaign from Lara Trump
Lara Lea Trump ( Yunaska; born October 12, 1982) is an American former television producer who is married to Eric Trump, third child of Donald Trump. She was the producer and host of Trump Productions' '' Real News Update'' and a producer of '' ...
, President Trump's daughter-in-law, which came with a non-disclosure agreement
A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legal contract or part of a contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wish ...
(NDA) that was as "harsh and restrictive" as any she had seen in her television career. The president sought to enforce the NDA in an August 2018 filing with the American Arbitration Association
The American Arbitration Association (AAA) is a not-for-profit organization in the field of alternative dispute resolution, providing services to individuals and organizations who wish to resolve conflicts out of court, and one of several arbitr ...
, which was rejected in September 2021, directing the Trump campaign to pay Newman's legal fees. After the parties disputed the amount of the settlement, the arbitrator set it to $1.3 million in April 2022.
In May 2019, Manigault Newman joined a collective legal action against the Trump campaign organization for allegedly violating the Equal Pay Act. The legal action was instigated earlier that year, when the former Trump campaign staffer Alva Johnson filed a lawsuit against the president in federal court and accused him of sexual assault during the 2016 presidential campaign. Johnson had additionally claimed that "women of color were paid less than white men" with similar or less professional responsibilities on the campaign trail.
Personal life
Newman had an older brother, Jack Thomas Manigault Jr., who was murdered in 2011.
In 2000, Newman married Aaron Stallworth and changed her last name to Manigault-Stallworth. They separated, and later divorced, in 2005. She reverted to her maiden name, and eventually started using her first name mononymously
A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
.
In August 2009, Newman enrolled at the United Theological Seminary
United Theological Seminary is a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood, Ohio. Founded in 1871 by Milton Wright (father of the Wright brothers), it was originally sponsored by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. In 1946, members ...
in Ohio to pursue a Doctor of Ministry The Doctor of Ministry (abbreviated DMin or D.Min.) is a professional doctorate, often including a research component, that may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in some form of ministry. It is categorized as an advanced ...
degree. She received a preacher's license in February 2011 from her church (Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California) and was formally ordained on February 27, 2012. In February 2012, Newman was working on finishing her degree at Payne Theological Seminary
Payne Theological Seminary is an African Methodist Episcopal seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is the oldest free-standing African-American seminary in the United States. Incorporated in 1894 by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, it ...
. She said on '' Oprah: Where Are They Now?'' that she is an ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
minister. In the segment, Newman said that she was brought to the decision after traveling to West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
, where she found herself alone in an orphanage
An orphanage is a Residential education, residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the Childcare, care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parent ...
with a little girl dying of AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
.
Newman said, of her interaction with the little girl:
On August 13, 2010, Newman confirmed that she was dating actor Michael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan (December 10, 1957September 3, 2012) was an American actor. He was best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in '' The Green Mile'' (1999), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor a ...
, whom she had met in the produce section of a Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market IP, Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon, is an upscale American multinational supermarket chain headquartered in Austin, Texas, which sells products free from hydrogenated fats and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. A USDA ...
supermarket. In July 2012, she found Duncan in cardiac arrest and performed CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure consisting of chest compressions often combined with artificial ventilation in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore sponta ...
. Though Newman was able to resuscitate him, he never fully recovered from the heart attack and died on September 3, 2012, after two months in hospital. Seven months after his death and according to Duncan's family and friends, Newman was under suspicion of changing his will and testament
A will or testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property ( estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person ( executor) is to manage the property until its final distributi ...
. Duncan's family and friends also claimed that she lied about her engagement, and sold Duncan's belongings without the family's knowledge.
She married John Allen Newman on April 8, 2017, at Trump's Washington, D.C., hotel in the Presidential Ballroom of the Old Post Office Pavilion
The Old Post Office, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Old Post Office and Clock Tower, is located at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. in Washington, D.C. It is a contributing property to the Pennsylvania Avenue National ...
. After the wedding, Newman took her bridal party to do a photo shoot in the White House, but she was unable to post her photos because of concerns over ethics and security. John Newman is the senior pastor
A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
of The Sanctuary at Mt. Calvary, a church in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
.
Omarosa is currently attending Southern University Law Center
Southern University Law Center is a public law school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is part of the historically black Southern University System and was opened for instruction in September 1947. It was authorized by the Louisiana State Board ...
and competed at the 2022 Case Classic Mock Trial Competition.
Television
Books
* ''The Bitch Switch: Knowing How to Turn It on and Off'', 2008
* ''Art My Way: Momarosa's Guide to Living a Vibrant Energetic Life'', 2010
* '' Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House'', 2018
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Manigault, Omarosa
1974 births
Living people
20th-century Baptists
21st-century American businesspeople
21st-century Baptist ministers from the United States
African-American businesspeople
African-American Christians
American entertainment industry businesspeople
Businesspeople from Youngstown, Ohio
California Democrats
California Republicans
Criticism of Donald Trump
Central State Lady Marauders volleyball players
Central State University alumni
Howard University alumni
Ohio Democrats
Ohio Republicans
Trump administration personnel
The Apprentice (franchise) contestants
Big Brother (American TV series) contestants
Big Brother (Australian TV series) contestants
21st-century American women