PRESIDENT Trump’s personal lawyer and the Justice Department tried to BLOCK a bombshell book by Melania’s ex BFF alleging a "cold war with Ivanka," according to reports.

Letters sent to Stephanie Winston Wolkoff and her publisher claimed the book violated a confidentiality clause in part of her job agreement, The Daily Beast revealed on Thursday.



Wolkoff's book, Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady, was released on September 1 from publisher Simon & Schuster.

The memoir details an alleged "cold war" between First Lady Melania, 50, and President Trump's daughter, Ivanka, 38.

Letters sent from the top Trump Lawyer and the DOJ ahead of publication argued that the clause in Wolkoff's Gratuitous Services Agreement with Melania Trump would be violated.

Wolkoff's agreement was dated Aug. 22, 2017.

A first letter from Trump attorney Marc Kasowitz on July 8 claimed the clause would prohibit Wolkoff from "disclosing her work for FLOTUS and the White House Office of the First Lady," the Daily Beast reported.



Kasowitz' letter also said the clause blocked any government info she learned by having the agreement, as well as "information about the First Family, or any other information about which [she] may become aware during the course of her performance,” The Daily Beast reported.

Wolkoff's attorney shot down the claims as "unfounded and meritless."

Her lawyer said that the agreement was more than two years ago, making it no longer enforceable, The Daily Beast reported.

As the Trump family continued to try and halt the publication of the book exposing Melania's alleged "Cold War" with Trump's daughter, Ivanka, the Department of Justice jumped in.

On July 15, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division at the Department of Justice, Ethan P. Davis sent a second letter trying to block the book's publication, The Daily Beast reported.

The letter said that if reports were accurate, "the book appears to contain government information that Ms. Wolkoff expressly promised to not disclose," The Daily Beast reported.

The letter then asked for confirmation that the book would not contain such details included in Wolkoff's agreement – and threatened legal action if that were violated.


The DOJ and the office of the First Lady did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's requests for comment.

In Wolkoff's book, she detailed what was called "Operation Block Ivanka" – a move to keep the president's daughter out of the shot when Donald Trump was sworn in to office.

"We were able to figure out whose face would be visible when Donald and Melania sat in their seats, and then when the family stood  for Donald to take the oath of office," the book said.

“If Ivanka was not on the aisle, her face would be hidden while seated," Wolkoff wrote.

The book details a number of other alleged power struggles between the First Lady and Ivanka – including Melania fuming when Vogue refused to guarantee her a cover shot as Ivanka was in talks with the magazine.

Wolkoff's book also alleged that Melania used a private email from the Trump Organization to conduct White House business.

Following the book's publication, Melania shared a tweet slamming "delusional and malicious gossip."

Source: Read Full Article