Kellyanne Conway appears stumped by question on who replaced Omarosa as Trump's top black West Wing aide

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/ABC News)

last updated 13 August 2018

The White House is once more in damage control mode amid allegations from yet another Trump administration insider hawking dirty laundry — and purported secret recordings, some involving President Trump — but Kellyanne Conway appeared unprepared for the question about Omarosa Manigault Newman posed by ABC News' Jonathan Karl on Sunday's This Week. "Kellyanne, Omarosa was the most prominent, high-level African American serving in the West Wing on the President Trump's staff," he said. "Who now is that person?"

Conway first pointed to a Cabinet secretary, HUD Secretary Ben Carson, and when Karl pointed out that Carson doesn't work in the West Wing, she pointed to "Ja'Ron," apparently referencing Ja'Ron Smith, special assistant to the president for legislative affairs. Karl asked if Smith has an office in the West Wing, and when it turned out he does not, she pivoted to Trump's promise to be president for all Americans, accused Karl of not spending enough time talking about low unemployment, said she and everyone else in the Trump West Wing have signed nondisclosure agreements, and argued that Republicans "certainly can" gain House seats in the midterms, despite widespread expectations of sizable Democratic gains. You can watch the entire interview or read the transcript.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.