Author Michael Wolff filed a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 21), accusing Melania Trump of using a billion-dollar legal threat to muzzle his reporting about her alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
NBC News reports the author of “Fire and Fury” claims the First Lady’s legal team tried to strong-arm him into silence after he discussed her supposed connection to the late financier and convicted sex offender during an interview with The Daily Beast.
That article, titled “Melania Trump’ Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author,” was later pulled with an apology from the outlet, which admitted the piece “did not meet our standards.”
According to the lawsuit, Melania’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, issued a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Wolff retract his statements, apologize, and offer a financial settlement. The letter also referenced Wolff’s comments on the outlet’s podcast.
Wolff’s legal filing describes the threat as an attempt to suppress free speech. “Mrs. Trump’s claims are made for the sole purpose of harassing, intimidating, punishing or otherwise maliciously inhibiting Mr. Wolff’s free exercise of speech,” the complaint reads.
Wolff, who has made a career out of chronicling political drama, said his words were misrepresented and insists he never defamed Melania.
His attorneys argue the Trump camp is using legal threats to stifle public interest reporting on Epstein’s connections to influential figures.
Michael Wolff Wants To Depose Donald & Melania Trump Over Jeffrey Epstein Relationship
In a video posted to Instagram, Wolff didn’t hold back, saying, “To be perfectly honest, I’d like nothing better than to get Donald Trump and Melania Trump under oath in front of a court reporter and actually find out all of the details of their relationship with Epstein.”
Melania’s spokesperson responded with a sharp rebuke, saying she “is proud to continue standing up to those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately try to get undeserved attention and money from their unlawful conduct.”
Wolff also claims he spent “many hours of interviews of Jeffrey Epstein over several years” and alleges the Trump family has tried to “impede and suppress” scrutiny into their ties to Epstein.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in federal custody, awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The Justice Department closed its investigation into the matter in July without filing new charges, though the case continues to fuel speculation.
Neither Melania nor Donald Trump has been formally accused of wrongdoing in Epstein’s criminal case.
