Only a day after filing a lawsuit against a British news provider, representatives for Melania Trump said the first lady “has no intention” of taking advantage of her public position for self-interested gains. Trump recently accused used Mail Media for tarnishing her name and damaging her ability to develop a commercial brand.
“It is not a possibility,” pointed out the statements that were simultaneously released by Trump’s spokeswoman as well as a law firm that represented her. “Any statements to the contrary are being misinterpreted.” Filed in the New York Supreme Court, Trump's lawsuit argues that the report from Mail Media, owner of Daily Mail, was both erroneous and libelous. Furthermore, it also damaged her ability to sell her “Melania” branded goods, including jewelry, adversely affecting business opportunities.
Trump’s lawsuit asserts that an August article made false claims that she had a previous experience with an escort service and that such incorrect assertion had hurt her ability to create “multimillion dollar business relationships for a multi-year term during which Plaintiff is one of the most photographed women in the world.” Daily Mail’s article was drawn back along with a statement through which the news company clarified that it had no intentions of suggesting that the first lady worked as an escort or was involved in the sex business.
Citing economic and emotional damage, Trump’s lawsuit is asking for compensatory and corrective damages worth $150 million. An article from the Los Angeles Times cited Richard Painter, who previously worked as White House ethics counsel to former President George W. Bush.
According to Painter, Trump’s lawsuit suggests that she is demonstrating “an unprecedented, clear breach of rules about using her government position for private gain. This is a very serious situation where she says she intends to make a lot of money. That ought to be repudiated by the White House or investigated by Congress.”
