NEW YORK — Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman declared Tuesday that she “will not be silenced” by President Donald Trump, remaining defiant as her public feud with her former boss shifted from a war of words to a possible legal battle.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Manigault Newman, who is promoting a book about her time in Trump’s orbit, said she believed the president’s campaign was trying to keep her from telling her story. Her remarks came hours after the president’s campaign announced it was filing an arbitration action against Manigault Newman alleging she’s broken a secrecy agreement.

“I will not be intimidated,” she told the AP. “I’m not going to be bullied by Donald Trump.”

Still, the former reality TV star turned political aide declined to answer several questions about what she experienced during her time in the White House, citing the arbitration action. She also declined to discuss details of her interview with special counsel Robert Mueller’s office, which she confirmed earlier Tuesday.

But Manigault Newman continued to unleash scathing criticism of Trump, suggesting he is unfit to be president and is intentionally sowing racial division. She accused the president of using his rowdy political rallies to sow discord, even suggesting Trump is promoting violence.

Discussing the differences between her views and Trump’s, she said: “One, I want to see this nation united as opposed to divided. I don’t want to see a race war as Donald Trump does.”

Darlene Superville, The Associated Press