The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Florida. It also named as defendants Simon & Schuster — the audiobook’s publisher — and Paramount, the parent company of Simon & Schuster.
Woodward and Simon & Schuster said in a joint statement Monday evening that the lawsuit was “without merit” because the interviews were recorded with Trump’s consent.
“Furthermore, it is in the public interest to keep this historical record in Trump’s own words,” the statement said. “We believe the facts and the law are on our side.”
Central to the lawsuit’s argument is the claim that Trump never agreed to the use of his voice in the audiobook when he was interviewed by Woodward for his 2021 presidential book “Rage.” Woodward obtained Trump’s consent to be recorded and “repeatedly informed him that such interviews were for the sole purpose of one.” bookSue said.
“When it came to treating President Trump fairly, Mr. Woodward walked the talk, but he failed to walk,” the suit said.