Outgoing White House aide Omarosa Manigault denied that she was fired in a contentious way and she accused reporter April Ryan of spreading a rumor because of a personal grudge.
In an interview Thursday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Manigault said she resigned from her position after a conversation with White House chief of staff John Kelly.
"I resigned," said Manigault, the reality TV villain on President Trump's former "The Apprentice" show. "And I didn’t do that in the residence, as being reported. John Kelly and I sat down in the Situation Room, which is a very secure, very quiet room in the White House. And we had a very candid conversation. And 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."
.@omarosa on Pres. Trump: “I had more access than most and people had problems with that, people had problems with my 14 year relationship with this president. I’ve always been loyal to him." pic.twitter.com/lZF7TTuXzd— Good Morning America (@GMA) December 14, 2017
Ryan, a reporter for American Urban Radio Networks and a CNN contributor, has reported that Manigault was fired by Kelly and that Manigault attempted to enter the White House residence, where Trump lives, for a confrontation.
Ryan also said that Manigault was physically removed from the premise by the Secret Service, though the agency said in a statement that it was not involved in the termination nor in seeing Manigault-Newman off the property. The Wall Street Journal also reported that had to be dragged out of the White House, based on one anonymous "White House official."
"I think you should take the word of the U.S. Secret Service over someone who has a personal vendetta to bring me down, and they personally gain by continuing to advance these false narratives," Manigault said on ABC.
Ryan did not return a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
Ryan and Manigault have a long history of conflict, though the two were friends at one point. In February, Ryan said that Manigault tried to "kill my career" and that the two had a heated exchange in front of White House staff and reporters.
"I made mincemeat of her," Ryan said in August, recalling the incident.
Manigault said in her ABC interview that she had "more access than most" in the White House when it came to Trump and said that during her time in the West Wing she had "seen things that made me uncomfortable, that upset me, that have affected me."
She said she would tell her story after leaving the White House. Her exit is officially set for Jan. 20.