“I’m an African-American woman. You get to walk around and be mediocre and you still get rewarded with things. We have to be—” “—and he brings me such joy and I hope that you one day you can find that kind of joy, Joy, in your life.” This is Omarosa Manigault Newman. “—inner city issues issues, issues in the economy—” “How do we go from Iraq to Black Lives Matter? Stay focused Tamara.” “Um—” Love her or hate her, the former reality show star turned White House aide has never shied away from controversy. She became known as the villain on “The Apprentice” and “The Celebrity Apprentice,” where she got fired three times by Donald Trump. “Life is full of problems. You’re fired.” During the campaign, Newman was responsible for outreach in the African-American community and her loyalty to Trump landed her a spot in the West Wing. “Every detractor will have to bow down to President Trump.” Trump made her director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison, a role that confounded many. There were reports that Newman had an ill-defined job and often dropped into meetings uninvited. She’s outspoken and has sparred with the press. “I will tell my story—” “I allowed you— Ask a question about me, about my brother, about my fa— Yes, that’s what they invited me to talk about. In some ways, she’s a bit like the president: When someone punches— “Tamara says that Donald Trump—” “TA-ma—ra. It’s TA-ma-ra.” She’s quick to hit back. “You want to come out with big boobs. You deal with the pronunciation of your name. Look, Donald Trump stands firm.” She once reportedly caused a stir after bringing her 39-person bridal party to the White House for a photo shoot. But after John Kelly took over as chief of staff, Newman’s role in the White House started to diminish. “John Kelly and I sat down in the situation room. I wanted to make the one year mark. That was one of the goals that I set out to, and then get back to my life.” Her tenure at the White House ended with her resignation. But the president continues to stand by her.