Explaining his decision to fire Omarosa Manigault on Monday, President Trump showed a failing of leadership. Namely, an inability to prioritize the national mission over his own ego. Consider the president’s tweets.
Wacky Omarosa, who got fired 3 times on the Apprentice, now got fired for the last time. She never made it, never will. She begged me for a job, tears in her eyes, I said Ok. People in the White House hated her. She was vicious, but not smart. I would rarely see her but heard….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018
…really bad things. Nasty to people & would constantly miss meetings & work. When Gen. Kelly came on board he told me she was a loser & nothing but problems. I told him to try working it out, if possible, because she only said GREAT things about me – until she got fired!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018
While I know it’s “not presidential” to take on a lowlife like Omarosa, and while I would rather not be doing so, this is a modern day form of communication and I know the Fake News Media will be working overtime to make even Wacky Omarosa look legitimate as possible. Sorry!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2018
Although Trump rightly pays heed to what is and what is “not presidential,” he also suggests that nothing is more important to him than those who elevate his ego. Note that the president says Omarosa was deeply unpleasant to her fellow White House staff members, “vicious, but not smart,” and “would constantly miss meetings and work.” Surely such an individual would be unsuitable for service in the office of the chief executive of the United States?
[Trump: ‘Wacky Omarosa’ is ‘hated’ in the White House, will never work for me again]
Apparently not. For Trump, what mattered most was that Omarosa said “GREAT” things about him. That’s very problematic.
Do not misunderstand me, I recognize that Omarosa appears to have very few skills. Indeed, she appears to be a vindictive fool who regards attention and proximity to power as the sole markers of success. Still, Trump’s first duty as president is to surround himself with talented patriots who can deliver for his policy objectives and for the nation. In many cases; John Kelly, Jim Mattis, Mike Pompeo, Mike Pence, Gina Haspel, and John Bolton, the president has done just that. Yet in the case of Omarosa, an individual possessing a singular lack of talent for anything but eavesdropping, her flattery was enough to justify hiring her.
Perhaps former President Barack Obama liked to apply a similar hiring philosophy in his foreign policy team – retaining ideological sycophants like Ben Rhodes – this is a very poor approach to leadership.
Going forward, Trump should prioritize the national interest as he brings and retains talent at the White House.
