The U.S. First Lady, Melania Trump, is facing a new legal battle after journalist and author Michael Wolff filed a defamation lawsuit against her, alleging she deliberately interfered with the publication of his upcoming book about her life.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Wolff claims that Melania Trump “deliberately and maliciously interfered” with his publishing contract and defamed him through public statements connected to his forthcoming book titled “The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump (Redux).”
The lawsuit alleges that Melania and her team spread false and damaging accusations, including claims that Wolff fabricated interviews, intimidated sources, and “manufactured lies for profit.” Wolff contends that these statements caused international distributors to withdraw and cost him a multi-million-dollar publishing deal.
Wolff also asserts that he possesses evidence showing that Melania personally directed a public relations firm to pressure media outlets and threaten legal action if they promoted or covered his book. He described these efforts as part of a “calculated campaign to destroy his reputation and livelihood.”
As part of the lawsuit, Wolff included a letter from Melania’s attorneys demanding he retract and apologize for statements made in an interview with The Daily Beast. In that interview, Wolff linked Melania to convicted sₑx offender Jeffrey Epstein, alleging she was “very involved” in the scandal and suggesting she might be a connection in former President Donald Trump’s alleged ties to Epstein. Melania’s legal team has since firmly denied those allegations, calling them “false and defamatory.”
Wolff is asking the court for a declaration confirming that the statements in his book are not defamatory and for an order that would hold Melania Trump liable for damages if she continues efforts to “harass, intimidate, or obstruct publication.”
As of the time of this report, representatives for Melania Trump have not yet responded to requests for comment.
