Administration

Omarosa pushes back on report she was escorted off White House grounds

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White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman on Thursday pushed back on a report that she was fired from her job in a contentious confrontation with chief of staff John Kelly and escorted off the White House grounds. 

“I resigned and I didn’t do that in the residence, as is being reported,” Manigault Newman told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

The former contestant on “The Apprentice” denied that she tried to enter President Trump’s residence and was escorted off the property, and argued that there would be pictures or video had she confronted Kelly.

{mosads}“If I had confronted John Kelly, who is a very formidable person, it would garner enough attention for anyone in the room to at least take a picture or a video or something,” she told ABC.

Manigault Newman said the person reporting the information “has a personal vendetta against” her, an apparent reference to American Urban Radio Networks reporter April Ryan. Ryan was once reportedly friends with Manigault Newman, but has clashed with her in the last year.

Ryan on Wednesday reported that Manigault Newman had been fired by Kelly and was subsequently removed from the White House grounds. 

Manigault Newman pushed back on Thursday, saying she spoke with Kelly in the White House situation room about “concerns that I had, issues that I raised, and as a result, I resigned.”

She added that she wanted to hit her one-year mark in January.

“That was one of the goals that I set out to and then get back to my life,” she said. 

Manigault Newman also noted that the Secret Service denied that agents removed her from the grounds.

The White House said Wednesday that Manigault Newman will remain in her job until Jan. 20, which she confirmed during her appearance on ABC. She has served as the director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison.

This report was updated at 8:55 a.m.

Tags Donald Trump John Kelly White House

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