equally and fights fire with fire. jim, one thing is clear here tonight. there's plenty of that. >> i can't guarantee anything. but i can tell you that the president addressed this question directly. >> reporter: that's how white house press secretary sanders answering the question today of whether a recording to exist of president trump ever using the n-word while producing "the apprentice" reality show. the president denied it as omarosa newman claimed. as she wages war with the white house. >> if at any point we felt that the president was who some of his critics claim him to be we certainly wouldn't be here. >> reporter: tonight, omarosa also saying for the first time that she's been interviewed by special counsel mueller in his investigation of the 2016 election. >> i have. >> reporter: in the latest claim, she insisted to msnbc she's spoken to mueller's team, blasted by the president as a