Names and faces
Omarosa Manigault Newman, the former reality TV star who followed President Donald Trump into national politics, has resigned from her White
House post as director of communications for the office of public liaison. “Omarosa Manigault Newman resigned yesterday to pursue other opportunities. Her departure will not be effective until Jan. 20, 2018. We wish her the best in future endeavors and are grateful for her service,” press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote in an email. Manigault Newman was one of few high-profile black Americans to support Trump during his campaign last year and was one of the most visible black aides in his administration. But her role in the administration was unclear. She struggled to help Trump build a relationship with blacks, who have consistently given the president low approval ratings. Manigault Newman also frequently clashed with her colleagues inside the White House, reportedly using her longtime friendship with Trump to ignore the chain of command. Manigault Newman became a breakout star in the first season of Trump’s Apprentice TV franchise by playing the role of a backbiting villain who would knee-cap other contestants in her quest to win. She did not take the top prize, but she became a favorite of Trump, who invited her to participate in subsequent iterations of the show. She brought that same confrontational persona to the political arena, fiercely defending Trump against accusations that he was racist and sexist. During the past several months of Trump’s administration, she has engaged in public spats with groups such as the Congressional Black Caucus, grassroots activists and black journalists.
CNN said Anderson Cooper’s Twitter account was hacked after a since-removed tweet from his handle called President Donald Trump a “tool” and a “pathetic loser” following Democrat Doug Jones’ win in Alabama’s Senate election. Early Wednesday, the cable network tweeted that “someone gained access” to Cooper’s account and sent the tweet to the president. “We’re working with Twitter to secure the account,” it said. The apparent rogue tweet came in response to a tweet by the president explaining why Republican Roy Moore wasn’t able to win Tuesday’s race. “Oh, really? You endorsed him tool! Pathetic loser,” read the tweet. Cooper, in his own tweet, said he woke up to find out “someone gained access” to his account. He said he has “not sent a tweet in days or replied to any tweets.”