Journalist Michael Wolff has filed a lawsuit against First Lady Melania Trump, accusing her of defamation and malicious interference with his upcoming book about her life, which he claims cost him a multi-million dollar publishing deal.
The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, alleges that Melania Trump engaged in a “calculated campaign to destroy” Wolff’s reputation by making false claims about his journalistic practices. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Wolff asserts that the First Lady deliberately interfered with his contract for the book “The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump (Redux).” He claims that her actions were intended to block the publication of his tell-all account, leading to significant financial and professional harm.
Wolff specifically accuses Melania and her team of spreading misinformation, alleging that he fabricated interviews and intimidated sources. These false statements, he argues, scared off international distributors and led to the collapse of his book deal. He has provided evidence that Melania personally directed a public relations firm to contact media outlets and threaten legal action if they covered his project, further damaging his professional standing and credibility in the publishing industry.
The dispute escalated when Melania’s lawyers sent a threat letter to Wolff on October 15, demanding he retract statements he made about her alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein. In an interview with the Daily Beast, Wolff suggested that Melania was “very involved” in the Epstein scandal and could be a key link to President Trump’s ties with the financier. Melania’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, has called Wolff a “serial fabulist” and threatened a $1 billion lawsuit if he did not cease these claims, intensifying the legal confrontation.
Wolff is suing under New York’s anti-SLAPP laws, which are designed to protect against strategic lawsuits aimed at silencing critics. He is seeking declarations that his statements are not defamatory and damages for the harm caused to his reputation and livelihood. His attorneys argue that the Trumps have a history of using legal threats to intimidate opponents, describing it as a practice to extract “North Korean-style confessions and apologies” and stifle free speech.
This legal battle is part of a broader conflict between Wolff and the Trump family. Wolff has authored several books about Donald Trump, who has repeatedly disparaged him as a “third-rate reporter” and “fake news.” Previous incidents include Melania threatening to sue Hunter Biden for repeating Wolff’s Epstein claims, which led the Daily Beast to retract the story after legal pressure. Wolff’s most recent book chronicles the 2024 Trump campaign and includes controversial passages about the president’s interactions with figures like Elon Musk, adding to the ongoing friction.
The implications of this lawsuit could set important precedents for how public figures use legal threats against journalists and authors. If successful, it may empower other writers facing similar intimidation tactics, while a loss could embolden further such actions. The case highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the press, with free speech advocates closely watching the outcome to gauge the limits of legal recourse in defamation disputes.
As the case proceeds, it will likely draw significant media attention, reflecting the contentious relationship between the Trump family and their critics. Wolff’s legal team has emphasized the need to protect free expression from what they describe as oppressive tactics, ensuring that authors can publish without fear of unjust retaliation. The resolution of this lawsuit could influence future interactions between high-profile individuals and the media, shaping the landscape for investigative journalism and biographical works.