Melania Trump has been hit with a legal complaint by journalist Michael Wolff, who accused the First Lady of threatening libel action as a way to silence him.
In court documents obtained by TheWrap, Wolff claims Trump sent a threat letter, which demanded the journalist apologize by Tuesday over “false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading and inflammatory statements” he allegedly made about the First Lady and her connection to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal — or be sued for $1 billion in damages.
In the legal response, Wolff’s attorney defended that the journalist was simply doing his job “diligently,” which included asking “important questions that deserve inquiry.” Per the document, Wolff was considering penning a book on Epstein.
Wolff’s legal complaint noted: “Mrs. Trump and her ‘unitary executive’ husband along with their MAGA myrmidons have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them with costly SLAPP actions in order to silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally and to extract unjustified payments and North Korea style confession and apologies.”
The document went on: “These threatened legal actions are designed to create a climate of fear in the nation so that people cannot freely or confidently exercise their First Amendment rights. The threats are also intended to shut down legitimate inquiry into the Epstein matter which the Trumps and their collaborators have at every turn sought to impede and suppress.”
Wolff is seeking his legal fees covered as well as compensatory and punitive damages, according to the filing.
“[Mrs. Trump’s claims] impede and chill future reporting and writing that Mr. Wolff has committed to doing regarding Epstein, Mr. Trump and Mrs. Trump,” the complaint added. “In many respects that is the primary purpose of these claims.”
At the time of writing, the filing had not been reviewed or approved by the County Clerk.
Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
