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Omarosa claims new tape proves Trump used N-word, but does it?
Omarosa Manigault-Newman releases what appears to be an audio recording of then-candidate Donald Trump staffers discussing Trump's alleged use of the N-word. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

Omarosa claims new tape proves Trump used N-word, but does it?

Omarosa Manigault-Newman released another private tape on Tuesday, which claims to document staffers for then-candidate Donald Trump admitting that Trump used the N-word. However, the White House strongly denies the claims, and without further context for the tapes it is certainly the case that there are alternate explanations for what occurs on the audio.

Manigault-Newman says that the conversations revolved around how the administration could deal with possible fallout from Trump using the N-word, as he was alleged during the campaign to have done during a taping of "The Apprentice."

The White House strongly denies Manigault-Newman's recollection of the recorded phone call, and there are certainly other plausible theories and explanations behind the discussion you hear on the recording other than the president actually using the N-word and having it caught on tape.

This is the third tape Manigault-Newman has released concerning her time in the White House as a former aide. The first featured a discussion between her and White House chief of staff John Kelly concerning her termination from the White House. The second tape featured a private conversation between Manigault-Newman and Trump concerning her dismissal.

What's the background here?

The new recording, obtained by CBS News, appears to feature what Manigault-Newman says is her and two other aides discussing an alleged tape on which Trump purportedly used the N-word.

Trump's alleged use of the N-word reportedly came during an outtake when he was host of "The Apprentice."

Manigault-Newman levied the accusations in her new book, "Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House." In the book, Manigault-Newman calls the president a racist, a bigot, and a misogynist.

On Monday, Trump fired back at claims that he'd used the word and said the allegation was absolutely untrue.

In a series of tweets, Trump said that he'd had a conversation with television producer Mark Burnett, who agreed that no such tape existed.

Trump wrote, "@MarkBurnettTV called to say that there are NO TAPES of the Apprentice where I used such a terrible and disgusting word as attributed by Wacky and Deranged Omarosa. I don’t have that word in my vocabulary, and never have. She made it up. Look at her MANY recent quotes saying ... such wonderful and powerful things about me — a true Champion of Civil Rights — until she got fired. Omarosa had Zero credibility with the Media (they didn’t want interviews) when she worked in the White House. Now that she says bad about me, they will talk to her. Fake News!"

What's on the recording?

According to Manigault-Newman's side of the story, the women featured on the recording are discussing how to "spin" the story to minimize negative publicity should the alleged tape be released. The calls were said to take place during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

CBS has identified former Trump campaign spokesperson Katrina Pierson as being involved in the call, and also claims that Lynne Patton, longtime Trump friend and confidante who now serves as a Housing and Urban Development official, was a participant.

Upon listening to the recording, it is unclear as to whether any of the three women have actually heard the alleged tape in which Trump is supposed to have used the N-word, and it is also not clear that they are talking in specifics about said remarks purportedly contained on the tape. The recording that CBS published only contains a partial snippet of the conversation, and does not provide any context to the women's remarks.

On the recording, Pierson can be heard saying, "I am trying to find at least what context it was used in to help us maybe try to figure out a way to spin it."

Patton responds by saying that she'd asked Trump whether such a tape existed.

"I said, 'Well, sir, can you think of anytime that this might have happened?' And he said 'no,'" Patton says.

Manigault-Newman can be heard interjecting and adds, "Well, that is not true."

Patton later adds that Trump reportedly asked her how she believes the situation should be handled.

“He goes, 'How do you think I should handle it?' And I told him exactly what you just said, Omarosa, which is, 'Well, it depends on what scenario you are talking about.' And he said, 'Well, why don’t you just go ahead and put it to bed,'” Patton responds.

Pierson replies, "He said — no, he said it. He is embarrassed."

What are people saying about this now?

Pierson and Patton issued a joint statement about the tape on Tuesday, saying that they never had a call that confirmed anyone "heard Donald J. Trump use derogatory language on this alleged tape."

On Twitter, Patton shared an image of the statement and captioned it, "No one ever denied we had multiple conversations re: the Apprentice tape. To the contrary my interview w/@HuffPost proves @OMAROSA was obsessed & discussed it constantly. What we refuted is having a call that Luntz CONFIRMED Trump said it. Trump himself confirms to me he didn’t."

Trump also appeared to respond to the release of the recording on Tuesday.

On Twitter, he wrote, "When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn’t work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!"

According to a Tuesday report by The Associated Press, Trump's campaign is filing an arbitration action against Manigault-Newman, alleging the breach of a secrecy agreement.

An anonymous campaign aide reportedly told the AP that the campaign is filing the claim with the America Arbitration Association in New York, and citing Manigault-Newman's book and subsequent tour as a breach of her 2016 confidentiality agreement with the Trump campaign.

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