Donald Trump says aide Omarosa wasn't fired sooner because she said 'great things' about him
Donald Trump has claimed he kept a former White House aide on staff because she said "great things" about him - despite the fact she failed to do her job
The US president said Omarosa Manigault Newman was "hated" by other White House staff and would "constantly miss" work and meetings.
Mr Trump said he directed his chief of staff, John Kelly, to try to smooth things over with her "because she only said GREAT things about me - until she got fired!" he wrote in a series tweets on Monday.
Ms Manigault Newman, who is promoting her new book about her time in the White House, has caused fury in the Trump administration after releasing a secret recording she made of her firing by Mr Kelly in the high-security White House Situation Room.
Wacky Omarosa, who got fired 3 times on the Apprentice, now got fired for the last time. She never made it, never will. She begged me for a job, tears in her eyes, I said Ok. People in the White House hated her. She was vicious, but not smart. I would rarely see her but heard....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018
She released a second secret tape on Monday she made of Mr Trump calling her the day after she was sacked. In the tape, Mr Trump claims he was unaware she had been let go, telling her "I don't love you leaving at all”.
Ms Manigault Newman, known commonly by her first name, was previously known for being a contestant on the TV series The Apprentice, which Mr Trump hosted, and went on to be a White House communications aide.
However in recent days she has during her time in the administration she was "complicit" in hiding Mr Trump's "mental decline" from the public.
The White House has pushed back on the former aide's criticisms, saying the recordings raise questions about her integrity and "a blatant disregard for our national security".
While I know it’s “not presidential” to take on a lowlife like Omarosa, and while I would rather not be doing so, this is a modern day form of communication and I know the Fake News Media will be working overtime to make even Wacky Omarosa look legitimate as possible. Sorry!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018
"It's sad that with all the things that's going on in the country that he would take time out to insult me and to insult my intelligence," Ms Manigualt Newman told US network MSNBC.
After referring to his former aide as "wacky" and a "lowlife", Mr Trump added: "I know it's not 'presidential' to take on a lowlife like Omarosa, and while I would rather not be doing so, this is a modern day form of communication".
