White House press secretary Sean Spicer has dismissed as 'absolutely not true' a report suggesting that the Trump administration is keeping secret files on reporters.

April Ryan, a longtime White House correspondent with American Urban Radio Networks, clashed with Office of Public Liaison communications chief Omarosa Manigault on Monday in a West Wing corridor.

The Washington Post reported that Ryan complained Manigault, a one-time star of President Donald Trump's 'Apprentice' and 'Celebrity Apprentice' reality TV shows, 'physically intimidated' her.

Ryan also claimed Manigault warned her that she was among a group of black reporters the Trump administration is tracking closely with opposition-research 'dossiers.'

Spicer tried – without success – to joke his way into the clear when a reporter asked him about it during Tuesday's briefing.

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White House reporter April Ryan clashed on Monday with Office of Public Liaison communications chief Omorosa Manigault and later claimed Manigault told her the Trump administration had a 'dossier' on her and other black journalists

White House press secretary Sean Spicer tried to defuse the allegation Tuesday with a joke that went nowhere

'That is absolutely not true. There are no dossiers being kept,' he said with a grin and a gesture to his podium. 'Just a binder they put right here.'

'That's about it,' Spicer deadpanned as he noted a stunned silence he didn't expect.

'Um, that was a joke,' he sputtered before moving on.

Ryan wrote ruefully in her 2015 book 'The Presidency in Black and White' that only about five of the 200 credentialed White House reporters are black.

Manigault is the highest-profile black aide in Trump's inner circle, and was expected to be a helpful influence for men and women of color in the press corps.

The high-intensity clash between the pair took place just outside Spicer's West Wing office, according to Post reporter Abby Phillip.

She characterized Manigault's behavior as threatening enough to be 'Secret Serviceable,' or justifying action from federal law enforcement.

Manigault, who now accompanies President Donald Trump to some White House events, rose to fame as a cutthroat competitor on his 'Apprentice' reality TV shows

Ryan has been covering the White House for American Urban Radio Networks since 1997

Ryan told the Post that Manigault had 'stood right in my face like she was going to hit me' as they argued on Monday.

'I said, "You better back up." ... She thought I would be bullied. I won't be.'

Manigault would only offer the Post a four-word statement. 'My comment: Fake news!' she emailed.

She did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Manigault had been a friend of Ryan's for years, and asked her to serve as a bridesmaid in her upcoming wedding.

I said, 'You better back up.' ... She thought I would be bullied. I won't be. White House reporter April Ryan, on her confrontation with Trump aide Omarosa Manigault

Ryan took a pass on the invitation following an October email exchange in which Manigault hinted that she might have been a paid Hillary Clinton campaign operative in disguise.

The Trump aide pointed to an article that quoted a Wikileaks dump of a Clinton campaign email summarizing the Democrat's relationship assets among political journalists.

The article, published by The Intercept, described the conventional campaign task of cultivating and 'manipulating' reporters. The Wikileaks email listed Ryan among Clinton's targets.

Separately, that same publication described financial relationships between the Clinton campaign and officially nonpartisan TV pundits who invariably spoke up on her behalf.

Ryan was not among them. Manigault may have conflated the two lists.

'This story suggests that as a reporter, you are (or were) a paid Clinton surrogate,' Manigault wrote to Ryan in October, according to the Post.

'I pray this is not true! This could be hurtful to your legacy and the integrity of your work.'

Ryan, shown at far left in green during Barack Obama's 2015 end-of-year press conference, is often a blunt questioner in the White House press briefing room on issues of race

Ryan was effusive in her praise for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the 2015-2016 election cycle, judging from emails to campaign chair John Podesta that were released by Wikileaks

Ryan complained Monday that Manigault had bullied and insulted her by questioning her integrity.

'It's just ugly,' she said. 'She's trying to harm my integrity and my career. I've been [covering the White House] for 20 years. I plan to be here for the next 20 years. You don't mess with someone's livelihood.'

Manigault called Ryan's account 'fake news' in a brief statement Monday to The Washington Post

Ryan was generally supportive of Clinton's candidacy during the campaign season that sent Trump to the White House.

Hacked emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, published by Wikileaks, show her coziness and complimentary tone with the Democrat's senior aides.

Ryan warned Podesta and campaign communications chief Jennifer Palmieri in August 2015 that 'Hillary Clinton needs to sit down with black reporters fast. Her efforts in the black community are not resonating.'

Months earlier when Clinton was still preparing to announce her White House run, Ryan emailed them a friendly hello.

'Just checking in,' she wrote. 'I want to make sure I am on the Hillary Radar when she does it big.'

'Saw video of her yesterday. She looks great with those beautiful highlights!!!! So the announcement is on the way.'

'Thanks in advance for keeping me in the loop,' she closed her note, signing it: 'Fondly, April.'

Ryan says she asked the Trump campaign for an interview during his White House run – including making requests via Twitter and Facebook – but wasn't successful

In advance of an October 2015 Democratic primary debate, Ryan wished them 'good luck Tuesday.'

'No,' she added. 'Kick Some But [sic] Tuesdayt!!!!! [sic].'

And responding to the Democratic candidate's 'Saturday Night Live' cameo as a bartender who dispenses drinks and advice to 'Hillary Clinton' – played by actress Kate McKinnon – Ryan was effusive.

'She dropped the mic tonight!' the journalist wrote to Podesta and Palmieri.

'That means she was great!!!'

In an email on Tuesday afternoon, Ryan told DailyMail.com that looking only at her correspondence with Clintonworld would provide an incomplete picture of her work.

'I wish they had emails from my requests for Trump interviews while on the campaign trail,' Ryan said. 'I actively asked on Twitter and Facebook [and] also kept asking for an interview.'

'I asked on a number of occasions. I still would like an interview with President Trump.'

'I am a reporter and talked to both sides. I got [a] Clinton interview but sad to say I never got a Trump interview even with requests on social media and email and on the phone,' Ryan added.