Little support for Omarosa after her ouster
By Dorothy Iman- Johnson
Special to the Outlook
Omarosa Manigault Newman is the latest Trump loyalist to learn he is not loyal to anyone except himself and select family members. Having watched the way he throws people under the bus when they are no longer useful to him, she shouldn’t have been surprised to get her pink slip. But, obviously, she was based on a tweet by journalist and radio host, April Ryan. Ryan’s tweet stated, “Okay the White House still contends Omarosa signed a resignation letter. But Gen. Kelly kicked her out (with) high drama with the Minister offering vulgarities and curse words as she was escorted out of the building and off campus”. It was reported that after Kelly asked for her resignation, she tried to take her case directly to the President until Kelly explained that the President had already approved her firing.
Omarosa disputes Ryan’s description of her termination, however. She described her departure on the December 14 “Good Morning America Show” on ABC. She agreed she did not leave voluntarily by stating, John Kelly (President Trump’s Chief of Staff) “had a very straightforward discussion about concerns that I had, issues that I raised, and as a result, I resigned”. She went on to say, “Kelly was not certain he wanted me to be on his team”.
Though her position title was Director of Communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison, it is hard to discern exactly what she did in the administration, except to be a Black face in the background mainly for Trump photo ops at African-American events or announcements. She orchestrated a photo op for HBCU presidents at the White House with President Trump, after which he announced that he questioned the purpose for their existence. She loyally stood by and defended Trump throughout his 2016 campaign for President and during this first year of his presidency as he openly accepted the endorsement and support from the Klan and Neo-Nazis, bragged about sexually assaulting women, demeaned every minority, worked to dismantle federal programs that benefit poor/ moderate income Americans, the elderly, children, and the disabled, and endorsed an alleged pedophile for election to the U.S. Senate. She has done absolutely nothing to temper Trump’s disdain for the African-American community; but instead lectured Trump’s detractor stating, “Every critic, every detractor will have to bow down to President Trump. It’s everyone who’s ever disagreed, who ever challenged him. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe”.
At a panel discussion, for which she was a panelist, at the 2017 National Association of Black Journalists, she caused an uproar with her caustic defenses of Trump and dismissive attitude toward other panelists and attendees. When asked for her position on the President’s comment that police should “rough up” suspects while detaining them, she refused. In response to a follow up about the President’s hostile attitude toward African-Americans, she gave the non-answer that “you don’t want to walk away from the table, because if you’re not on (at) the table, you are on the menu”. Most in attendance saw no benefit for the African-American community in having her at the table.
A search on the internet of her accomplishments in her position resulted in not a single mention of an achievement; and absolutely no impact by her on Trump’s policies, or racist, misogynistic behavior. Rather, she seemed to revel in being in the glorified air of Trump, as she gloated and trotted her wedding party to the White House for a photo session that violated security. Based on her lack of regard for anyone except herself, it was particularly insulting to have her refer to African-Americans as “her people” in the following quote now that she has been kicked to the curb. She stated as her reason for resigning, “I’ve seen things that made me uncomfortable, that have upset me, that have affected me deeply and emotionally, that has affected my community and my people”. She said she had a profound story to tell that we all would want to hear. However, she did not seem too bothered by any of this until Trump sent her packing. It was a shock to her system and reminded her she is still Black. ABC’s Good Morning America host, Robin Roberts, best summed up most Black Americans’ sentiments regarding Omarosa’s predicament with her quote, “She said she has a story to tell. I’m sure she’ll be selling that story. Bye, Felicia”; letting her know what she has to say is too little, too late.
