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Michael Wolff has filed a lawsuit against Melania Trump alleging intimidation through legal threats. The case could compel the Trumps to testify about their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Wolff accused Melania and Donald Trump of using legal threats as weapons to silence critics. (Photo: AP)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Oct 23, 2025 03:54 IST
Author Michael Wolff has filed a lawsuit against US First Lady Melania Trump, claiming she threatened to sue him for more than $1 billion unless he retracted statements linking her to Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in Manhattan’s state Supreme Court, according to the Associated Press.
Wolff, known for his bestselling books on President Donald Trump, said the threat came after his remarks to The Daily Beast and comments made in three social media videos. The First Lady’s lawyer had set an October 15 deadline for Wolff to apologise, retract, and pay damages, which he refused.
Melania Trump’s spokesperson, Nicholas Clemens, said the First Lady "will continue standing up to those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods for attention and money".
LAWSUIT ALLEGES INTIMIDATION TACTICS
In his filing, Wolff accused Melania and Donald Trump of using legal threats as weapons to silence critics. He claimed the couple routinely threatens costly lawsuits to stifle speech, extract apologies, and intimidate journalists.
Wolff argued that the threats were meant to create a climate of fear that discourages the media from investigating the Trumps’ ties to Epstein, the financier who died in jail in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges.
He said his new lawsuit aims to force the president and First Lady to testify under oath about their relationship with Epstein, whom Wolff interviewed before his death.
According to the lawsuit, Wolff never accused Melania Trump of any criminal involvement with Epstein. Instead, he defended his remarks as fair and justified opinion and protected speech.
According to the filing, Wolff’s book included statements deemed accurate, such as claims that Melania Trump was "very involved" in Epstein’s social circle, where she first met Donald Trump. It also claims that Donald Trump allegedly engaged in relationships with friends’ wives and that his first sexual encounter with Melania Trump reportedly took place aboard Epstein’s private jet.
"The question of how Melania Trump fits into the Epstein story is a fair inquiry," the lawsuit stated, noting that it will explore "Mr. Trump’s and Epstein’s 10 years of pursuing models."
Earlier this year, Donald Trump dismissed Wolff as a "Third Rate Reporter" and called his upcoming book "a total FAKE JOB".
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Oct 23, 2025
