Omarosa Manigault-Newman, a former aide to President Trump, secretly recorded conversations with the president while she was serving in the White House, multiple sources told the Daily Beast.
Manigault-Newman, who prior to working for the administration appeared as a contestant on Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice,” is coming out with a tell-all book about her experience in the White House. The book, titled “Unhinged,” is set to be released on Aug. 14.
{mosads}She wouldn’t be the only person to have recorded her interactions with the president: Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime personal lawyer and sometime-fixer, is known to have recorded Trump as well. One such recording was recently released and revealed Trump discussing possible payment to a former Playboy model with whom he was accused of having an affair.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
Simon & Schuster, the publisher of “Unhinged,” responded to the Daily Beast in a statement. “Without commenting on the specific contents of UNHINGED,” the spokesperson said, “we are confident that Omarosa Manigault Newman can substantiate her highly-anticipated account of life inside the Trump White House.”
The revelation of the tapes marks a stark departure from what was once a close relationship with Trump. In 2015, Trump tweeted about one of Manigault-Newman’s television appearances, saying, “.@OMAROSA You were fantastic on television this weekend. Thank you so much – you are a loyal friend!”
Leaked excerpts from the tell-all suggest this closeness is no longer shared. In the book, Manigault-Newman reflects on an interview the president did with NBC’s Lester Holt, saying “His mental decline could not be denied.”
In an appearance on “Celebrity Big Brother” following her departure from the White House, she can be heard expressing concern for the direction of the Trump administration. “No, it’s not going to be okay, it’s not … It’s so bad,” she said.