US President Donald Trump expressed his outrage on Wednesday regarding a new tell-all book that criticizes him, threatening legal action against authors and media organizations that rely on anonymous sources.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “As a President credited with achieving the Best Opening Month of any President in history, it is to be expected that Fake books and stories will emerge, featuring so-called ‘anonymous’ or ‘off the record’ quotes.”
He indicated his willingness to pursue lawsuits against what he deems dishonest authors and publishers, as well as media outlets that employ these anonymous sources, which he asserts are largely fictitious.
“At some point, I will take legal action against some of these dishonest authors and book publishers, or even the media in general, to determine whether these ‘anonymous sources’ truly exist, as they largely do not. They are fabricated, defamatory fiction, and there should be significant consequences for this blatant dishonesty,” he remarked.
Trump suggested that such legal actions could benefit the country and potentially lead to the establishment of new laws.
This latest development follows the release of an exposé by journalist Michael Wolff, which has provoked strong reactions from Trump and his team.
The book claims that after surviving an assassination attempt last summer during the election campaign, Trump “appeared to be on the verge of cracking,” struggling to complete sentences and exhibiting outbursts that were shocking even for the notoriously sensitive former reality TV star.
Wolff’s latest publication follows his 2018 bestseller, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” and includes several startling allegations, one of which cites a source from Mar-a-Lago claiming that Melania Trump harbors animosity towards her husband.
The Trump administration is engaging in frequent confrontations with the media as the president persistently pursues his far-right agenda, which includes stringent measures against immigrants and significant reductions in federal government functions, facilitated by the influential billionaire Elon Musk, who plays a prominent advisory role during Trump’s notably active second term.
On Tuesday, the administration deviated from longstanding tradition by declaring that the White House would determine which media outlets receive close access to the president in restricted areas such as the Oval Office, a process known as the press pool.
Historically, this selection has been made by an independent association of American media organizations covering the White House.
