Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman said she became concerned about President Trump’s mental state during his interview with Lester Holt last May.
In an excerpt of the forthcoming book, “Unhinged: An Insider’s Account of the Trump White House,” published by the Daily Mail, Manigault-Newman said she “knew something wasn’t right” during the interview.
Trump made headlines during the interview when he contradicted earlier claims from the White House that former FBI Director James Comey had been fired on the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Trump told Holt he had taken the Russia investigation into consideration when he fired the FBI director.
“While watching the interview I realized that something real and serious was going on in Donald’s brain. His mental decline could not be denied,” she writes. “Many didn’t notice it as keenly as I did because I knew him way back when. They thought Trump was being Trump, off the cuff. But I knew something wasn’t right.”
The former White House aide said Trump “spoke gibberish” and repeatedly contradicted himself, despite then-White House communications director Hope Hicks rehearsing with him that the firing was prompted by the Department of Justice’s recommendation.
Manigault-Newman’s book is set to be released Aug. 14. It’s the latest in a string of book releases by former Trump aides.
The former “Apprentice” star was fired from her position as director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison in the White House in December. She then appeared on “Celebrity Big Brother” where she told other contestants she feared for the future of the country.
