A federal judge has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s $49.98 million lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward over the release of The Trump Tapes audiobook, which featured Trump’s recorded interviews. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan, marks a legal win for Woodward, publisher Simon & Schuster, and its former parent company, Paramount Global.
Trump had alleged that Woodward used his recorded interviews—conducted between December 2019 and August 2020 for the 2020 book Rage—without permission to produce the 2022 audiobook. The interviews comprised about 20% of the book.
Judge Gardephe, a George W. Bush appointee, rejected Trump’s claim that he and Woodward were co-authors of the audiobook, emphasizing that Woodward was credited as the sole author. He ruled that Trump did not hold copyright over his interview responses and that federal copyright law overrode Trump’s state-based claims. Trump has until August 18 to file an amended complaint.
Woodward and his legal team argued the interviews were part of traditional journalism and protected under “fair use.” They cited historical precedents involving journalists like Walter Cronkite and Barbara Walters, who conducted interviews with past presidents without royalty disputes.
Trump’s legal team criticized the decision, calling it another example of judicial bias, claiming Trump was denied due process.
The lawsuit, filed in January 2023, sought damages based on projected sales of two million audiobooks at $24.99 each. Trump maintained that the recordings were only for Rage, though Woodward stated no such agreement existed.
Simon & Schuster was sold to KKR for $1.62 billion in October 2023.
The case is Trump v. Simon & Schuster Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 23-06883.