Author sues Melania Trump for threatening him over Epstein reporting

Author sues Melania Trump for threatening him over Epstein reporting
Melania Trump (Shutterstock)

Journalist and author Michael Wolff has sued First Lady Melania Trump after her legal team threatened action against him over an article alleging that she was "very involved" in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Last month, The Daily Beast retracted a report based on Wolff's research after receiving legal threats from the first lady's team. Threats were later sent directly to Wolff.

"This correspondence serves as a demand under Florida Statute § 770.011 that you immediately retract and apologize for the false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements made about Mrs. Trump, which were published by The Daily Beast Company, LLC ('The Daily Beast'), and contained in the article titled 'Melania Trump 'Very Involved' in Epstein Scandal: Author," Trump's attorneys wrote. "Failure to comply will leave Mrs. Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to recover the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that you have caused her to suffer."

In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, attorneys for Wolff asked for damages under New York's anti-SLAPP law, which was designed to prevent intimidation lawsuits.

"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 Korean style confessions and apologies," the lawsuit noted. "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 asked the court to find the first lady to be liable for costs, attorney's fees, compensatory damages, and punitive damages "on the grounds that the claims were made by Mrs. Trump for the sole purpose of harassing, intimidating, punishing, or otherwise maliciously inhibiting Mr. Wolff's free exercise of speech."

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Two people were wounded in a shooting involving Customs and Border Patrol agents in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, according to a new report.

The Oregonian reported that agents shot and injured a man and a woman in east Portland. Reports indicated that protests were growing in the city after a 37-year-old mother in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Wednesday. It is unclear if the shooting occurred at the protest.

The man and the woman are still alive and have been taken to a local hospital. The shooting caused the Portland City Council to suspend its meeting on Thursday.

"We are still in the early stages of this incident," Police Chief Bob Day told the outlet. "We understand the heightened emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis, but I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more."

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A Republican senator is calling for an investigation and accountability in the wake of the fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis, which claimed the life of 37-year-old poet and mother of three Renee Nicole Good.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who is known for frequently disagreeing with the Trump administration despite her conservative policy beliefs, weighed in on a post to X on Thursday evening.

"The videos I’ve seen from Minneapolis yesterday are deeply disturbing," wrote Murkowski. "As we mourn this loss of life, we need a thorough and objective investigation into how and why this happened — which will require full cooperation from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, along with the local authorities — and for the political rhetoric to be toned down. Immigration enforcement activities have greatly increased, leading to heightened tensions across the country."

"We need to ensure ICE officers have the necessary training and resources to safely — and with empathy and respect for human life — carry out these activities," Murkowski continued. "As part of the investigation, I am calling for recommendations and policy changes to help prevent future tragedies."

"Yesterday was devastating, and cannot happen again," she concluded.

This comes amid moves by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and a number of MAGA allies to defend ICE's conduct in the shooting. It also comes amid separate reporting that a group of Democrats plans to introduce legislation that would reform ICE, including banning masks, limiting firearms during civil operations, and requiring agents to obtain a warrant when not on the border.

A new analysis smacked down any notion that President Donald Trump's so-called "Donroe Doctrine" will succeed.

The Economist wrote Thursday that Trump’s "hemispheric doctrine will eventually fail and, in doing so, weaken the United States."

The analysis lauded the jaw-dropping display of American military power after Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his wife were plucked from Caracas by US special forces on Jan. 3 in less than three hours. The dictator couple now faces drug charges and possible life sentences.

Trump now claims he runs Venezuela and demanded obedience from Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, "or else," the report said.

"Yet he will struggle to enforce his will," the article said, calling his threats to station troops in Venezuela or launch more raids "not credible."

Trump has made clear his real motive for the raid is that he "craves natural resources." The report predicted that smaller countries close to the United States may now "feel they have no choice but to submit to Mr Trump’s bullying."

Over time, that will change.

"Yet in the years to come, many leaders will seek to reclaim their sovereignty. And many countries will quietly seek closer ties with other powers, including China. Unless coercion is balanced by attraction, Mr Trump’s hemispheric doctrine will eventually fail and, in doing so, weaken the United States."

The outlet added that his "brazen" statement that "might makes right" has already undermined the country's alliances, in doing so, weakening the United States.

"America was a successful superpower because its self-interest and realpolitik were turbocharged by an avowed faith in universal values of democracy and human rights. Mr Trump believes that, far from being a unique strength in foreign affairs, that was a foolish indulgence. His raid on Venezuela is likely to show how wrong he is," the report concluded.

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