Omarosa Manigault Newman released new audio Monday of President Trump talking about alleged ties between his political rival Hillary Clinton and Russia, the same day reports said the president could declassify documents related to his former campaign aide Carter Page.
During an interview on the TV show “The View,” Ms. Manigault Newman continued her attack against the Trump administration and weighed in on the latest White House gossip, including speculation around the mysterious New York Times op-ed author and Bob Woodward’s new book “Fear.” Ms. Manigault Newman also has a book out about the White House titled “Unhinged.”
She described her new tape as proof of Mr. Trump’s instability as a leader.
According to Ms. Manigault Newman, the latest audio clip was taken from a secret recording she made during an October meeting held by the communications team and press shop that the president “crashed.” The meeting was supposed to focus on the economy and the North Korean summit, but Mr. Trump derailed the conversation by “rambling” from topic to topic.
In the clip that aired, Mr. Trump only discusses Mrs. Clinton during the meeting.
“The real Russia story is Hillary and collusion. Somebody told me, Hope, you told me it was $9 million they spent on the phony report,” Mr. Trump can be heard saying, supposedly referring to the Steele dossier.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and former Communications Director Hope Hicks can be heard discussing the actual amount spent, which ranged from $9 million to $5.7 million.
“It was spent through a law firm. That way they can’t trace it, but they traced it. One thing in this business is they trace it,” Mr. Trump said, “The reason a law firm is used because this way you don’t have to give any papers.”
“But they found out, it’s definitely illegal and its illegal from a campaign standpoint, from a campaign financing standpoint,” he continued, “So the whole Russia thing, I think seems to have turned around. What do you think Sarah?”
“Absolutely,” Mrs. Sanders responded.
Mr. Trump has consistently promoted the idea that Democrats and Mrs. Clinton’s campaign should be investigated for any activity connecting them to foreign agents.
His theory centers on the Steele dossier, which was paid for in part by the Democratic National Committee as opposition research into the Trump campaign. The president and his Republican supporters argue that the dossier was used to prompt an investigation into former Trump campaign aide Carter Page and the Mueller probe. Members of the intelligence agency deny those allegations.
However, Mr. Trump stands by his theory, and hinted that he may declassify the FISA warrant and other documents related to the Carter Page investigations and Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who Republicans say promoted the dossier.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.