A federal judge has dismissed former President Donald Trump’s $50 million lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward regarding the publication of taped interviews that were used in Woodward’s audiobook “The Trump Tapes.” The decision was made by U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan, marking a legal victory for Woodward, his publisher Simon & Schuster, and its former parent company Paramount Global.
The legal battle stemmed from interviews Woodward conducted with Trump between December 2019 and August 2020. Approximately 20% of Woodward’s best-selling book “Rage,” released in September 2020, was based on these interviews. The audiobook, featuring Woodward’s commentary, was released in October 2022.
Judge Gardephe stated that Trump failed to establish that he and Woodward intended to be co-authors of “The Trump Tapes.” In his ruling, he noted that the audiobook credits Trump merely as a “reader,” while Woodward is recognized as the author. Additionally, the judge pointed out that Trump did not demonstrate any copyright interest in his individual responses to Woodward’s inquiries and ruled that federal copyright law supersedes Trump’s claims based on state law. Trump has until August 18 to amend his complaint.
Trump’s legal team criticized the ruling, claiming that it was another example of bias from a New York court and that the decision was made without providing Trump an essential hearing. They expressed intent to hold accountable those perceived as wronging Trump and other Americans.
The defense argued that federal law prohibits Trump from claiming copyright over interviews conducted as part of his presidential duties, drawing parallels to past interactions between journalists like Walter Cronkite and Barbara Walters with previous presidents. Woodward asserted that his interviews exemplified traditional journalism and reflected fair use, aiming to provide the public with accurate information.
Trump initiated the lawsuit in January 2023, arguing that he made it clear to Woodward that the interviews were exclusively for the book. However, Woodward countered that he never accepted such a restriction. The damages sought by Trump were based on anticipated sales of 2 million audiobooks at $24.99 each.
In an affiliated development, Paramount Global sold Simon & Schuster to private equity firm KKR in October 2023 for $1.62 billion in cash.
This case emphasizes the ongoing tensions surrounding public figures, media rights, and the intersection of journalism and politics. The ruling could set a precedent for future legal disputes involving the publication of interview content.