Omarosa Manigault almost convinces you that President Trump is the ultimate loyalist. But then you remember the string of folk he has already fired. Manigault was the villainous star, a backstabber extraordinaire, who emerged in the first season of 'The Apprentice'. Now she is assistant to the president and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison. And she has Oval Office walk-in privileges.
Presidential loyalty
One can say that Trump would be dumb to jettison a strong African American woman whose loyalty to him seems written in stone.
But nothing Trump does is beyond possibility. In the case of Manigault, it does appear that the President is unusually loyal. Politico reports that she is called 'blessed' in the West Wing. And it is true that the President has been seen pulling out her chair.
Knowing Trump's penchant for disjuncture, it does not hurt that Manigault was named as one of the nastiest villains of all time according to TV guide.
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth was a BULLY on the Apprentice and she proved herself on @amjoyshow this morning with interruptions n rudeness
— G-Man (@gkgguy) November 6, 2016
Manigault had a minor job in Al Gore's office during the 1990s according to Politico. She attained some fame in her work on 'The Apprentice'.
But her current job is light years removed from her past, just as President Trump's world has changed. Both have passed from the ephemerality of mere fame to the center ring where history rides on even the smallest event.
Is Manigault a lonely figure?
Though Manigault wanders freely in the West Wing and appears in many group photos with the President, she is in one sense quite alone.
Critics have said her position as a prominent African American in a sea of white folk speaks more of exclusion than inclusion. The villainy associated with Manigault from her TV days could also be said to evoke a recognizable and onerous stereotype.
It seems true that Manigault plays to type. Politico reports that she is a firebrand whose loyalty to her boss may be her most conspicuous trait.
By the same token, though her job description includes outreach to the African American community, she has not been seen as very available. She did, however, represent the US in Haiti in February at the inauguration of President Jovenel Moïse.
At the moment, Manigault may have the most secure job in the Trump administration.
