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Trump appoints Youngstown native Omarosa to White House staff
YOUNGSTOWN
Reality TV personality Omarosa Manigault, a Youngstown native who served as Donald Trump’s campaign director for African-American outreach, was selected by the Republican president-elect as an assistant to him and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison.
In her new position announced Wednesday, Manigault will focus on public engagement and community outreach, coordinating public-speaking appearances for the administration’s top officials, according to numerous news reports.
Manigault and the Trump transition team couldn’t be reached Wednesday by The Vindicator to comment.
Bruce Zoldan, chief executive officer of B.J. Alan Co. fireworks in Youngstown, joined pro football legends, including Jim Brown, to meet Dec. 13 with Trump and Manigault in Trump Tower in Manhattan to discuss Brown’s Amer-I-Can inner-city outreach program.
“She’s a very dynamic, intelligent and hardworking person,” Zoldan said Wednesday. “She’s very proud of her Youngstown heritage. [Trump] respects her a lot, and she has his ear, which will help the area.”
Born and raised in Youngstown, Manigault is perhaps the most famous contestant from “The Apprentice,” the reality television show formerly hosted by Trump. She was on the show’s inaugural season that began in January 2004. She’s also appeared on numerous other reality shows including “Celebrity Apprentice” twice.
Manigault told The Vindicator in April that serving as Trump’s surrogate has “been a journey. I’ve been around Donald going on 13 years. He is exceptional at everything he does. He’s an incredible mentor and friend to me.”
In that April interview, Manigault described Trump as “an impressive showman. He knows how to be the main headliner not only around the country, but around the world. This guy is a branding genius. He’s had billions of dollars of free media. There’s an art form to that.”
Even though Trump had yet to wrap up the Republican nomination at the time, Manigault was convinced he’d be elected president.
“We’re going all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue,” she said. “My political GPS is set for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,” the address for the White House. “It’s the only focus for Donald.”
Zoldan and Brown are among those hosting an Amer-I-Can pre-inauguration party that honors Manigault and others in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 19, the day before Trump’s inauguration. The event is sponsored by Phantom Fireworks, which is owned by B.J. Alan. Zoldan said it is being organized at the request of Trump’s transition staff.
Amer-I-Can’s goal is to help those in the inner city with life skills and personal responsibility with a focus on education and job creation, Brown has said.