Omarosa Manigault Newman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Omarosa Manigault Newman
Omarosa in 2017
Born	Omarosa Onee Manigault (1974-02-05) February 5, 1974 (age 51) Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Education	Central State University (BA) Howard University (MA) United Theological Seminary Payne Theological Seminary Southern University Law Center (JD)
Political party	Independent (2019–present) Republican (2015–2019) Democratic (before 2015)
Spouse(s)	Aaron Stallworth ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2005)​ John Newman ​ (m. 2017)​
Partner(s)	Michael Clarke Duncan (2010–2012; his death)

Omarosa Onee Newman (born February 5, 1974), often known simply as Omarosa, is an American television personality, author, and former political advisor. She became well-known after appearing on the first season of the TV show The Apprentice. She also worked in the White House for two different presidents, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.

In January 2017, Newman became an assistant to President Trump and worked as the director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison. She left this role in December 2017. After her time in the White House, she appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother US in 2018 and Big Brother Australia VIP in 2021.

In August 2018, Newman released a book called Unhinged. In the book, she wrote about her experiences working in the White House. She was later ordered to pay money to the U.S. Treasury for not submitting her final financial report after leaving her White House job.

Early Life and Education

Newman was born in Youngstown, Ohio. Her father passed away when she was seven years old. She graduated from The Rayen School in Youngstown.

College and Graduate Studies

In 1996, she earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. She then moved to Washington, D.C., to attend Howard University, where she earned a master's degree. She also studied at Payne Theological Seminary for biblical studies. Currently, she is attending Southern University Law Center to study law.

Early Government Work

In the 1990s, Newman worked in the office of Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton administration. She later moved to the Commerce Department.

Reality Television Career

Omarosa became famous through her appearances on reality television shows.

The Apprentice and Other Shows

Newman first gained public attention in 2004 as a contestant on the first season of NBC's The Apprentice. She was known for her strong personality on the show. She was "fired" in week 9 of the competition.

In January 2008, she returned for Celebrity Apprentice, where she competed against other famous people. She was the only former Apprentice contestant invited back. She raised $49,000 for her chosen charity during the show.

In June 2010, Newman and Donald Trump worked together to create a dating show called The Ultimate Merger. On this show, 12 men competed to win her affection. It aired on TV One.

Omarosa in 2008

In February 2013, Newman appeared on All-Star Celebrity Apprentice. She helped her team win an early challenge. She was later "fired" from the show.

Celebrity Big Brother Appearances

Newman appeared on the first season of Celebrity Big Brother in the U.S. The show aired in February 2018 on CBS. She stayed in the game until the finale, finishing as one of the last five contestants. During the show, she talked about her experiences working with Donald Trump.

In 2021, Newman also competed on Big Brother VIP, which is the celebrity version of the Australian Big Brother show. She was the first contestant to be evicted from the house.

Working with Donald Trump

In 2015, Omarosa had identified herself as a supporter of Hillary Clinton and had been a registered Democrat for many years. However, she had a personal relationship with Donald Trump.

Trump's Presidential Campaign

During the 2016 Republican National Convention in July 2016, it was announced that she would be the director of African-American outreach for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. In September 2016, she said that everyone who had doubted Donald Trump would have to respect him once he became president.

White House Role

In December 2016, Newman was named as one of the members of Trump's presidential transition team. On January 3, 2017, it was reported that she would join Trump's White House staff. Her official title was assistant to the President and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison. She changed her political party to Republican and hoped more African Americans would do the same.

In June 2017, Newman invited the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) to visit the White House. The CBC is a group of African-American members of Congress. They declined her invitation.

Leaving the White House

On December 13, 2017, the White House announced that Newman would be resigning, with her last day being January 20, 2018. The United States Secret Service confirmed they were not involved in her leaving, only in deactivating her access pass.

In February 2018, after leaving the White House, Newman publicly shared her concerns about the Trump administration on Celebrity Big Brother. She stated that she would not vote for Trump again.

After the Trump Administration

Newman wrote a book about her time in the White House called Unhinged, which was released on August 14, 2018. In the book, she criticized Trump and his administration. The White House press secretary said the book contained "lies and false accusations."

Newman said she turned down an offer for a job with the Trump 2020 re-election campaign. This offer came with a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which is a contract that prevents someone from sharing certain information. The Trump campaign tried to enforce this NDA, but in September 2021, an arbitrator ruled against them. In April 2022, the arbitrator ordered the Trump campaign to pay Newman's legal fees, which amounted to $1.3 million.

In May 2019, Newman joined a legal action against the Trump campaign. This action claimed that women of color were paid less than white men for similar jobs during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Personal Life

Newman was married to Aaron Stallworth from 2000 to 2005. She later started using only her first name, Omarosa.

In August 2009, Newman began studying at the United Theological Seminary to become a minister. She received her preacher's license in February 2011 and was formally ordained as a Baptist minister in February 2012. She shared that her decision to become a minister came after a trip to West Africa.

On August 13, 2010, Newman confirmed she was dating actor Michael Clarke Duncan. He passed away on September 3, 2012.

She married John Allen Newman on April 8, 2017, at Trump's hotel in Washington, D.C. John Newman is a senior pastor at a church in Jacksonville, Florida.

Television Appearances

Books Written

• Art My Way: Momarosa's Guide to Living a Vibrant Energetic Life, 2010
• Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House, 2018

See also

In Spanish: Omarosa Manigault para niños

• List of former Trump administration officials who endorsed Kamala Harris
• List of Republicans who oppose the Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign