Former President Trump on Monday filed a lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward for $49 million, alleging that recordings of interviews the pair did were released “without President Trump’s permission.”
Woodward and lawsuit co-defendant Simon & Schuster, publisher of his book “Rage,” in a joint statement called Trump’s suit “without merit” and vowed to “aggressively defend against it.”
The legal action is the latest in a number of suits filed by the former president against journalists and other news outlets.
Trump in October sued CNN for alleged defamation and is seeking at least $475 million in damages.
“This case centers on Mr. Woodward’s systematic usurpation, manipulation, and exploitation of audio of President Trump gathered in connection with a series of interviews conducted by Mr. Woodward,” the lawsuit says.
Paramount Global is also named in the lawsuit, which claims that Trump consented to Woodward recording conversations “for the sole purpose of a book,” but did not grant permission to use those recordings for an audiobook.