(WSBTV)
A lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump sent a cease and desist order to the writer and publisher of an inflammatory new book on the Trump White House that paints an unflattering picture of Trump, according to news outlets.
Trump’s attorney Charles J. Harder sent a warning letter to writer Michael Wolff and Steve Rubin, the president of Henry Holt and Co., which is the publisher of Wolff’s new tell-all book called “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” warning them to stop publication of the book or face legal action, Politico reported.
In the letter, Harder wrote that he is “investigating numerous false and/or baseless statements that you (Wolff) have made about Mr. Trump in your upcoming book,” and he accused Wolff of defamation and libel.
Couldn't be happier (obviously) with coverage of FIRE AND FURY. @JohnCassidy in New Yorker particularly gratifying. https://t.co/hsln54qBip
— Michael Wolff (@MichaelWolffNYC) January 4, 2018
Excerpts from the book have already been released and in response to the warning letter Thursday, Holt moved up the release date from next week to Friday morning.
Some of the claims that Wolff makes in “Fire and Fury” are; that Trump didn’t think he was going to win the 2016 election and that Melania Trump was upset when he did, that Trump got angry over celebrity snubs at his inauguration and that he eats fast food because he fears being poisoned.
So I was one of the 6 guests at the Bannon-Ailes dinner party in January 2017 and every word I've seen from the book about it is absolutely accurate. It was an astonishing night… pic.twitter.com/I4vgOrHOYb
— Janice Min (@janicemin) January 4, 2018
In a tweet late Thursday, Trump said he “authorized zero access” and never spoke to Wolff, calling the book “full of lies.”
I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don’t exist. Look at this guy’s past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018