President Donald Trump on Monday attacked his former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman as “wacky” and “vicious, but not smart,” and claimed the former “The Apprentice” contestant “begged me for a job, tears in her eyes.”
Trump ripped into his former aide again later in the morning, calling her “a lowlife” with a swipe also directed at the news media.
Newman has made a series of bombshell claims ahead of Tuesday’s publication of her book about her time in the White House, and has released two recordings she says she secretly made.
Trump and the White House have responded by attacking her credibility, even though it was Trump who hired her.
On NBC’s “Today” show earlier Monday, Newman released a recording of what she said was a phone call with Trump the day after chief of staff John Kelly fired her in December.
In the recording, Trump appears unaware of her firing. Newman would not say outright if she thought Trump knew she’d been fired and was lying to her.
Trump often lashes out at critics by claiming on Twitter that they previously made complimentary comments about him, and “begged” him for jobs, endorsements or other favors.
On Monday afternoon, Trump resumed his Twitter attack on Newman, claiming she “fully signed” a non-disclosure agreement, reportedly a requirement of senior Trump White House officials.
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said on Sunday that staffers “absolutely” had to sign “confidentiality agreements.”
The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.
This article has been updated to include additional Trump tweets.