Trump sues Woodward for publishing audio recordings of interviews

Former President Donald Trump sued Bob Woodward on Monday, claiming to be the veteran journalist didn’t get his consent to launch audio recordings of interviews performed over the last two years he was in workplace.

The lawsuit, filed within the Northern District of Florida, focuses on the October launch of “The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward’s Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump.” It seeks almost $50 million in damages and alleges efforts to “capitalize upon President Trump’s voice.”

Within the swimsuit, Trump says he consented to being recorded just for the needs of Woodward’s e book “Rage,” which was printed in 2020, and that Woodward broke his promise to Trump by later utilizing the interviews for an audiobook.

“President Trump instructed Woodward quite a few instances that the Interviews have been for use by Woodward—and Woodward solely—for the only objective of precisely quoting President Trump for the ‘written phrase,’ ie, rageand never for some other objective, together with offering, advertising, or promoting the Interviews to the general public, press, or the media, in any manner, form, or kind,” court docket paperwork say.

“Woodward determined to use, usurp, and capitalize upon President Trump’s voice by releasing the Interview Sound Recordings of their interviews with President Trump within the type of an audiobook,” the lawsuit says.

From December 2019 to July 2020, Woodward performed a collection of interviews with Trump on the White Home, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and by telephone. They drew nationwide consideration when excerpts confirmed Trump privately acknowledging the risks of the Covid pandemic whereas publicly downplaying its risk.

Trump’s legal professionals declare that the audio collected within the interviews was “protected materials” and topic to limitations on use and distribution.

Defendants named within the lawsuit embrace Simon & Schuster and its guardian firm, Paramount International, in addition to Woodward.

Woodward and his writer fired again at Trump in a joint assertion.

“Former President Trump’s lawsuit is with out advantage and we are going to aggressively defend in opposition to it. All these interviews have been on the document and recorded with President Trump’s data and settlement. Furthermore, it’s within the public curiosity to have this historic document in Trump’s personal phrases. We’re assured that the details and the legislation are in our favour,” the assertion mentioned.

In a press release Monday evening, Trump mentioned the audio e book “was an open and blatant try and make me look as unhealthy as potential.”

Trump, who launched a 3rd White Home bid in November, sued Woodward after the latest withdrawals of different lawsuits he filed in Florida, one in every of them in opposition to New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James, after a federal decide hit Trump and his lawyer with $1 million in sanctions for pushing a unique “frivolous” swimsuit.

Lindsey Pipia, Chloe Atkins and Daniel Barnes contributed.