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​Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has been ordered by an arbitrator to pay $1.3 million in legal fees to Omarosa Manigault Newman, the former “Apprentice” star who worked as a White House adviser, in a dispute stemming from a nondisclosure agreement. ​

The Trump campaign filed a complaint against Newman with the American Arbitration Association in 2018, claiming that her tell-all-book — “Unhinged: An Insider’s Account of the Trump White House” — violated her nondisclosure agreement.

Newman’s lawyer, John Phillips, hailed the decision announced Tuesday as the “largest known attorney fee award against a Political Campaign or President we can find​.”


  Omarosa Manigault Newman is the former “Apprentice” star who worked as a White House adviser. Michael Tullberg/Getty Images Omarosa Manigault Newman is the former “Apprentice” star who worked as a White House adviser. Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

  ​Trump’s presidential campaign has been ordered to pay $1.3 million in legal fees to Omarosa Manigault Newman. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo ​Trump’s presidential campaign has been ordered to pay $1.3 million in legal fees to Omarosa Manigault Newman. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

  The Trump campaign filed a complaint against Omarosa Manigault Newman with the American Arbitration Association in 2018. Fox Nation The Trump campaign filed a complaint against Omarosa Manigault Newman with the American Arbitration Association in 2018. Fox Nation

“Hopefully ​[it] ​will send a message that weaponized litigation will not be tolerated and empower other lawyers to stand up and fight for the whistleblower and vocal critic against the oppressive machine​,” Phillips said in a statement to website Law and Crime.

Arbitrator T. Andrew Brown granted Newman’s summary judgment motion to throw out the case in September 2021, saying the NDA was “unreasonable” and “unenforceable.”

But Newman’s legal team filed a number of motions seeking payment of legal fees, while Trump’s campaign filed a series of counterclaims.


  Omarosa Manigault Newman attends the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the US Supreme Court, March 22, 2022. REUTERS/Michael A McCoy Omarosa Manigault Newman attends the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the US Supreme Court, March 22, 2022. REUTERS/Michael A McCoy

  The Trump campaign claimed that Newman’s tell-all book violated her nondisclosure agreement. Amazon The Trump campaign claimed that Newman’s tell-all book violated her nondisclosure agreement. Amazon

  Omarosa Manigault Newman’s legal team filed a number of motions seeking payment of legal fees. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File Omarosa Manigault Newman’s legal team filed a number of motions seeking payment of legal fees. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File

Brown in his Tuesday ruling said Newman was “defending herself in a claim which was extensively litigated for more than three years, against an opponent who undoubtedly commanded far greater resources.​”

He awarded Newman the “sum of $1,293,568.75 for attorney’s fees and $17,304.73 for costs, for a total award of $1,310,873.48.​”​

The 45th president had no immediate comment on the ruling.

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