Trump Used to Self-Identify as ‘Swedish’ Because He Thought It Helped His Businesses: Omarosa

Former President Donald Trump’s appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention on Wednesday yielded many , many , many headlines , mostly about his insistence that Vice President Kamala Harris “happened to turn Black.” One of his former advisors pointed out on CNN that Trump also used to pick which nationality he was based on what would help him the most.

Omarosa Manigault Newman , a former contestant on The Apprentice who became an advisor to Trump while he was president, took part in a panel on CNN’s Laura Coates Live on Wednesday to discuss Trump’s disastrous NABJ performance . And she reminded anchor Laura Coates and the panel — which included CNN’s Van Jones , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ‘s Tia Mitchell , and Trump surrogate Bruce LeVell —that in his book The Art of the Deal , Trump once claimed to be Swedish. (He is not Swedish.)

Newman: Well, I think I probably know Donald better than anyone on this panel, forgive me if anyone thinks differently, but I recall in his book The Art of the Deal , Laura, when Donald Trump identified himself as Swedish, right? Because he didn’t want to acknowledge that his father was German and his mother was Irish, and he thought that that would play better to those who were patronizing his businesses. So can we call the question his past of self-identifying as first Swedish, then German, and then Irish whenever it’s convenient? Donald doesn’t know the difference between ancestry and race. He doesn’t want to know the differences, nor does he understand the nuances of how people self-identify. And so, I believe that that’s disqualifying for him.

And when he mispronounces her name, Laura, he does it as a slur. He does it intentionally to harm her, to make people see the otherness of Kamala Harris. And so I posed the question to Bruce when he says, “Oh, at some point she identified as this, and at some point she identified it as this.” Are you going to hold Donald Trump to the fire for identifying himself as Swedish, even though he has no Swedish roots, in his bestselling book, The Art of the Deal , Bruce?

Coates: Bruce, you’re happy to welcome to respond. I do have a copy of the book. I’m gonna try to find the passage.

LeVell: I don’t know about that, but this is all I know.

Newman: Is there a double standard?

LeVell: The ABC reporter [ Rachel Scott ] asked a specific question, and it is true. And Van, you know this from California, she did identify as Indian-American. Now I don’t– Listen, I don’t really care one way or the other. I know President Trump doesn’t care. But the specific question was asked. And then why did Charlamagne Tha God ask that specific question? Because he’s asking the same thing! Okay, which one is it? You know, are you running? Are you running as a Black American? Are you run as an Indian-American? That’s why Charlamagne asked that question. Many of us– But no one cares!

Coates: Must it be an either/or?

LeVell: But– wait a second…

Newman: It’s a dog whistle.

LeVell: Can I finish?

Coates: Yes, you can finish answering my question. Must have been either/or, to your point, must it be?

LeVell: You know, it doesn’t matter. But she asked the question, where did it come from? And listen, [President Joe Biden ] said when he was running, “I’m going to pick a Black woman. I’m going to pick a Black Supreme Court.” So, when one of you want to talk about identity politics and pandering… I mean, let’s go deep into this. But to ask a question, he answered it truthfully. And guys, Van, you know this man, you’re from California! You know she used that to her advantage, and that’s cool. Who cares? But that’s the correct answer. She benefited by being Indian-American. She won as attorney general, and then she benefited by being a Black American and chosen as the VP. So what? And that’s fair.

While Newman identified Trump’s mother as Irish, she was actually born in Scotland.

Watch the video above via CNN.