Yes, it’s yet another story that involves Jeffrey Epstein. Gone but certainly not forgotten, the convicted sex trafficker’s client list tenaciously looms like a guillotine over the necks of those rumored to be named. Despite promising to release Epstein’s files repeatedly during his campaign, President Donald Trump has yet to do so. Instead of quietly fading away, the Epstein scandal remains a hot-button topic.
The intensity of interest surrounding the files may even increase due to an imbroglio brewing between author Michael Wolff and First Lady Melania Trump. Wolff, who wrote three books detailing the first Trump presidency, has indicated his upcoming book delves into her role concerning all things Epstein. This, Wolff claims, prompted Mrs. Trump’s attorney to send him a threat letter demanding he retract statements made about the First Lady in articles and podcasts on The Daily Beast or face a lawsuit demanding $1 billion in damages.
Instead of capitulation, Wolff fired back by filing an anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) defamation suit against Mrs. Trump in New York State Supreme Court on October 21, 2025. In addition to disputing the claims made in the threat letter, Wolff’s legal salvo forces the Trump camp to decide if they are willing to face the subpoenas and discovery required to move forward. Either way, it’s a publicity bonanza for Wolff and his future release.
All Aboard the Lolita Express
In addition to writing for USA Today and The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Wolff is a biographer well-versed on both President Trump and Epstein. His 2018 book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” 2019’s “Siege: Trump Under Fire,” and 2021’s “Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency” earned him Trump’s ire and threats of lawsuits, although no legal action was taken. Wolff also claims to have conducted close to 100 hours of interviews with Epstein before his alleged suicide in a prison cell in New York.
Wolff’s pending book, with a working title of “The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump (Redux),” reportedly touches on both her past as part of Epstein’s social circle and her current role in managing the White House’s refusal to deliver the promised release of the Epstein files. In interviews, podcasts, and on his social media, Wolff has stated that President Trump and Mrs. Trump met as part of Epstein’s revolving circle of people in New York City and on his private jet.
In his filing, Wolff claims that the legal threats in Mrs. Trump's letter are a SLAPP intimidation tactic. He dismisses most of Mrs. Trump’s claims of defamation as either taken out of context, something that can’t be proven as untrue, an opinion protected by his First Amendment rights, or something written by The Daily Beast’s reporters and not his words at all.
Probably Shouldn’t Hold His Breath for an Invite to the New East Wing Ballroom
Wolff faced the threat of a lawsuit from the former president the first time he wrote about Trump, which proved to be nothing more than saber-rattling. Citing New York State’s strong anti-SLAPP laws, Wolff refused to issue any retractions. Instead, his defamation suit demands that Mrs. Trump admit that his statements are either not libelous or lack malice. He’s also seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, and legal fees.
In addition to the free publicity Wolff is getting for his upcoming Melania Trump book, the lawsuit poses a conundrum for the First Lady’s legal team. While his books about her husband offered salacious details and sold millions of copies, they did little to dissuade his base from eventually re-electing him. However, it’s not certain what effect a public feud and further press coverage would have.
Related Resources
- Social Media and Internet Defamation Law (FindLaw’s Torts and Personal Injury Law)
- U.S. Supreme Court Declines To Hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s Case (FindLaw’s Courtside)
- 3 Things To Know About SLAPP Suits (FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life)
