• Federal judge dismisses President Trump’s copyright lawsuit against Bob Woodward and Simon & Schuster, citing lack of legal standing. Trump had alleged unauthorized use of interview recordings in “The Trump Tapes,” but the court found no plausible claim to authorship or copyright ownership over the published materials.

NEW YORK, NY (TDR) — In a ruling that underscores the boundaries of intellectual property and the reach of executive privilege, a federal judge on Friday dismissed President Trump’s lawsuit against veteran journalist Bob Woodward and publishing giant Simon & Schuster over the 2022 release of The Trump Tapes audiobook.

The decision, handed down by U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe, found that President Trump had failed to demonstrate a credible copyright interest in the interviews Woodward conducted between 2016 and 2020.

“It appears unlikely,” Judge Gardephe wrote, “that Trump can adequately plead a plausible copyright interest in The Trump Tapes.”

Interviews Do Not Confer Authorship

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10

At the center of the dispute were 20 recorded interviews that Woodward, long associated with The Washington Post, conducted with President Trump over the course of four years. The audio was compiled and released by Simon & Schuster in 2022. Trump’s legal team alleged that the material was protected and had been published without consent.

Filed in early 2023, the lawsuit sought nearly $50 million in damages. Trump’s attorneys argued the recordings were “protected material, subject to various limitations on use and distribution.”

Woodward and Simon & Schuster argued the recordings were lawfully obtained and used in accordance with journalistic standards and copyright law.

In his 81-page opinion, Judge Gardephe concluded that Trump’s claims lacked legal grounding. The interviews, he ruled, did not make Trump a co-author of the final published product, nor did they establish any proprietary interest.

“We’re very pleased the Court agreed with us and dismissed the case,” Simon & Schuster said in a statement.

A Broader Legal Strategy?

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE THE DUPREE REPORT

The dismissal came the same day President Trump filed an unrelated lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal. While details of that case are still emerging, the coincidence underscores Trump’s continued efforts to challenge perceived misuses of his voice and image in the public arena.

Will Trump revise his legal strategy, or does the dismissal signal a broader judicial skepticism toward efforts to privatize presidential dialogue?

Follow The Dupree Report on YouTube

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10