The Department of Justice earlier this week filed a lawsuit against first lady Melania Trump's former assistant Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, over her new tell-all book. The recently published tell-all book revolves around the first lady.
Filed in District Court in Washington, D.C, the suit alleges Wolkoff broke a nondisclosure agreement in publishing the tell-all book, which hit the store shelves last month. Former best friend of Melania Trump is also accused of not providing the government a draft copy of her book for review.
According to the government, Wolkoff, who volunteered to serve as an adviser to Melania Trump in 2017, vowed to follow strict confidentiality over "nonpublic, privileged and/or confidential information." It is worth noting that the nondisclosure agreement wasn't attached to the termination date.
Citing her failure to submit a draft of her book for review, the Department of Justice lawyers claim she failed to acquire the authorization to reveal details mentioned in the book, which they point out has been alluded to as a "scathing tell-all.” Fox News reported the government wants profits directly from the book or any related media such as a movie to be directed to a constructive trust.
A Department of Justice spokesperson said that since this was a contract with the United States, it is enforceable by the United States. Entitled, "Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady," the book is a number one bestseller on Amazon, as well as a New York Times #1 bestseller.
The White House tell-all revolves around Wolkoff’s nearly two-decade friendship with Melania Trump and how it ended. Wolkoff served as an unpaid adviser to the first lady from 2017 to Feb. 2018. It helped arrange the presidential inauguration. She had to resign, citing public disclosures over the inauguration's pecuniary matters.
In the recently filed complaint, Justice Department lawyers claim Wolkoff breached her contract, stating that she had promised to maintain strict confidentiality over nonpublic, privileged, and/or confidential information that she was likely to obtain during her service. According to the complaint, Wolkoff was specifically restricted from publishing, reproducing, or divulging any information to any unauthorized person or entity in a part or whole.
Furthermore, the complaint alleges that she had indirect access to deliberative information, which Melania Trump was aware of, related to her husband President Donald Trump's official duties on behalf of the United States. The Justice Department is urging the court to direct the book’s profits to government trust.