The ex-president Donald Trump stated that he did not grant permission for his voice to be utilized as an audiobook during his interview with journalist Bob Woodward for the book “Rage.”
KEY POINTS
- Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has filed a lawsuit against Bob Woodward, a renowned journalist, Simon & Schuster, a publisher, and its parent company, Paramount Global.
- The lawsuit alleges that Trump never gave permission for the audio recordings of his interviews with Woodward to be used as an audiobook and sold to the public.
- Trump is seeking damages of at least $49,980,000, which is based on an estimate of the sales of the audiobook, “The Trump Tapes,” which reportedly sold over 2 million copies at a price of $24.99 each.
Donald Trump Sues Bob Woodward Over “The Trump Tapes” Audiobook
Pensacola, FL – Former President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward, Simon & Schuster Inc., and Paramount Global, the parent company of Simon & Schuster. The lawsuit alleges that the release of the audiobook “The Trump Tapes” violated Trump’s rights and copyright interests, as well as unjustly profited from the tapes.
The Complaint
The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Florida, accuses Woodward of “systematic usurpation, manipulation, and exploitation of audio” by publishing “The Trump Tapes”, a 2022 audio compilation of his conversations with Trump. The complaint alleges violations of Trump’s copyright interests and accuses Woodward and the publisher of unjustly profiting from the tapes.
Trump is seeking just under $50 million in damages, a figure his lawyers calculated assuming Woodward would sell two million copies of the audiobook at a download price of $24.99. The complaint also accuses Woodward of misrepresenting at least one of their exchanges in the audiobook by editing out portions of the full interview.
Consent to Record
Central to the lawsuit’s argument is the claim that Trump never agreed for his voice to be used in an audiobook when he was interviewed for Woodward’s 2021 book on his presidency, “Rage”. The lawsuit alleges that Trump gave consent to be recorded for the sole purpose of the book and that Woodward “repeatedly informed him that such interviews were for the sole purpose of a book”.
“This case centers on Mr. Woodward’s systematic usurpation, manipulation, and exploitation of audio of President Trump,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.
Defendants’ Response
Woodward and Simon & Schuster said in a joint statement that the lawsuit was “without merit” since the interviews were recorded on the record with Trump’s consent. “Moreover, it is in the public interest to have this historical record in Trump’s own words,” the statement said. “We are confident that the facts and the law are in our favor.”
The case was assigned to Judge Roger Vinson, who was nominated by former President Ronald Reagan.
Trump’s Track Record
Trump has a long track record of going to court over media coverage and commentary he doesn’t like. He has a pending $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN over how he’s been characterized in network broadcasts.
Conclusion
The lawsuit filed by Donald Trump against Bob Woodward and the publisher, Simon & Schuster, is a high-profile case that will be closely watched by the media and legal experts. The case raises questions about the rights of interviewees, the use of recorded conversations, and the public interest in historical records. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for journalists and publishers in the future.
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