Latest news with #Rage
CNBC
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNBC
Donald Trump's lawsuit against Bob Woodward over audiobook is dismissed
A federal judge on Friday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's nearly $50 million lawsuit against the journalist Bob Woodward for publishing tapes from interviews for his 2020 best-seller "Rage" as an audiobook. The decision by U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan is a victory for Woodward, his publisher, Simon & Schuster, and its former owner, Paramount Global. Woodward interviewed Trump 19 times between December 2019 and August 2020, and approximately 20% of "Rage" was derived from these interviews. The book was released in September 2020, while the audiobook "The Trump Tapes," including Woodward's commentary, was released in October 2022. In a 59-page decision, Gardephe stated that Trump did not plausibly allege that he and Woodward intended to be joint authors of "The Trump Tapes," noting that Simon & Schuster credited Trump as a "reader" while crediting Woodward as the author. The judge, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush, also stated that Trump did not demonstrate he had a copyright interest in his stand-alone responses to Woodward's questions. Gardephe also stated that federal copyright law preempted Trump's state-law-based claims. He gave Trump until August 18 to amend his complaint a third time. A spokesperson for Trump's legal team said in a statement: "In another biased action by a New York Court, this wrongful decision was issued without even affording President Trump the basic due process of a hearing. We will continue to ensure that those who commit wrongdoing against President Trump and all Americans are held accountable." Lawyers for Woodward, Simon & Schuster and Paramount did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The defendants had argued that federal law barred Trump from copyrighting interviews conducted as part of his official duties, and that no president before him ever demanded royalties for publishing presidential interviews. They also referred to Woodward as the "sole architect and true author" of the interviews, just as journalists like the late Walter Cronkite and Barbara Walters were in their interviews with other presidents. Woodward also stated that his interviews reflected "classic news reporting," which helped convey accurate information to the public, and thus constituted "fair use." Trump was sued in January 2023, claiming he had told Woodward repeatedly that the interviews were intended solely for the book. Woodward said he never agreed to that restriction. The $49.98 million damages request was based on what Trump's lawyers called projected sales of 2 million audiobooks at $24.99 each. Paramount sold Simon & Schuster in October 2023 to private equity firm KKR KKR.N for $1.62 billion in cash. The case is
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Donald Trump's lawsuit against Bob Woodward over audiobook is dismissed
NEW YORK: Donald Trump cannot pursue his nearly US$50 million lawsuit against the journalist Bob Woodward for publishing tapes from interviews for his 2020 best-seller "Rage" as an audiobook, a federal judge ruled on Friday. The decision by US District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan is a victory for Woodward, his publisher Simon & Schuster and its former owner Paramount Global. They had argued that federal law barred the US president from copyrighting interviews conducted as part of his official duties, and that no president before him ever demanded royalties for publishing presidential interviews. The defendants also called Woodward the "sole architect and true author" of the interviews, just as journalists like the late Walter Cronkite and Barbara Walters were in interviews with other presidents. Woodward also said his interviews reflected "classic news reporting" that helped convey accurate information to the public, and thus amounted to "fair use." Trump was interviewed by Woodward 19 times between December 2019 and August 2020, and about 20 per cent of "Rage" came from the interviews. The book was released in September 2020, while the audiobook "The Trump Tapes," including Woodward's commentary, was released in October 2022. Trump sued in January 2023, saying he told Woodward repeatedly that the interviews were meant solely for the book. Woodward said he never agreed to that restriction. The US$49.98 million damages request was based on what Trump's lawyers called projected sales of 2 million audiobooks at US$24.99 each. Paramount sold Simon & Schuster in October 2023 to private equity firm KKR for US$1.62 billion in cash. The case is Trump v Simon & Schuster Inc et al, US District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 23-06883.
NBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Judge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Bob Woodward over audiobook
A federal judge on Friday dismissed President Donald Trump's nearly $50 million lawsuit against the journalist Bob Woodward for publishing tapes from interviews for his 2020 best-seller 'Rage' as an audiobook. The decision by U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan is a victory for Woodward, his publisher Simon & Schuster and its former owner Paramount Global. Woodward interviewed Trump 19 times between December 2019 and August 2020, and about 20% of 'Rage' came from the interviews. The book was released in September 2020, while the audiobook 'The Trump Tapes,' including Woodward's commentary, was released in October 2022. In a 59-page decision, Gardephe said Trump did not plausibly allege that he and Woodward intended to be joint authors of 'The Trump Tapes,' saying Simon & Schuster credited Trump as a 'reader' while crediting Woodward as the author. The judge, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush, also said Trump did not show he had a copyright interest in his stand-alone responses to Woodward's questions. Gardephe also said federal copyright law preempted Trump's state law-based claims. He gave Trump until Aug. 18 to amend his complaint a third time. A spokesperson for Trump's legal team said in a statement: 'In another biased action by a New York Court, this wrongful decision was issued without even affording President Trump the basic due process of a hearing. We will continue to ensure that those who commit wrongdoing against President Trump and all Americans are held accountable.' Lawyers for Woodward, Simon & Schuster and Paramount did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Walter Cronkite, Barbara Walters cited The defendants had argued that federal law barred Trump from copyrighting interviews conducted as part of his official duties, and that no president before him ever demanded royalties for publishing presidential interviews. They also called Woodward the 'sole architect and true author' of the interviews, just as journalists like the late Walter Cronkite and Barbara Walters were in interviews with other presidents. Woodward also said his interviews reflected 'classic news reporting' that helped convey accurate information to the public, and thus amounted to 'fair use.' Trump sued in January 2023, saying he told Woodward repeatedly that the interviews were meant solely for the book. Woodward said he never agreed to that restriction. The $49.98 million damages request was based on what Trump's lawyers called projected sales of 2 million audiobooks at $24.99 each. Paramount sold Simon & Schuster in October 2023 to private equity firm KKR for $1.62 billion in cash.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Trump's long-stalled suit against Bob Woodward dismissed
A federal judge on Friday dismissed President Trump's lawsuit against famed Watergate journalist Bob Woodward for publishing audio tapes of interviews he conducted with Trump for a 2020 book. U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe's ruling comes a year and a half after Woodward and his publisher asked the judge to dismiss the suit. Trump's attorneys had long complained about the lack of progress, repeatedly urging Gardephe to rule. An appointee of former President George W. Bush, Gardephe rejected Trump's arguments that he is a joint author of the tapes and ruled that even if he wasn't, the interview responses are protected copyright. 'There is almost no support in the case law for the notion that an interviewee has a copyright interest in his responses to interview questions, and such a conclusion would run counter to animating principles of the Copyright Act,' the judge pushed back. The judge also dismissed Trump's state law claims, ruling those were preempted by federal copyright law. 'In another biased action by a New York Court, this wrongful decision was issued without even affording President Trump the basic due process of a hearing. We will continue to ensure that those who commit wrongdoing against President Trump and all Americans are held accountable,' a spokesman for Trump's legal team said in a statement. Trump sued Woodward in January 2023 after giving him 19 interviews for his book, 'Rage.' The lawsuit conceded Trump gave the interviews and permitted Woodward to record them, but the complaint claimed the journalist and his publisher were not authorized to sell the audio recordings themselves. The $49 million lawsuit named Woodward, Simon & Schuster and its then-parent company, Paramount Global, as defendants. Paramount later sold the publishing giant to a private investment firm. The Hill has reached out to Simon & Schuster and Paramount for comment. Trump's attorney had repeatedly expressed frustration with the judge for mulling the dismissal motion for months without taking action. Following Trump's election, his attorneys kept pressing the judge to move ahead, but in December, the judge said he was 'at work' on it and declined to expedite it further.
New York Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Rage' Is a Wild Spanish Dramedy About Women Who Are Pushed Too Far
The Spanish dramedy 'Rage' (in Spanish, with subtitles), debuting on Friday night at 8 on HBO Latino, is a distinctive anthology of female anger. Each episode includes a true plate-smashing meltdown, the culmination of decades of frustration and neglect. People rip cabinets off the wall, light fires, destroy entire kitchens. And while the show has an amped-up soapy lilt, all the indignation is grounded in real despair and grief. The stories connect and coincide; some of the women are neighbors, or catch glimpses of each other on television. Some of the women are rich and impulsive while others scrounge for each rent check, but disappointment knows no tax bracket. A prized pig wanders through the chapters connecting the arcs, too. Marga (Carmen Machi) is a visual artist and hobbyist markswoman whose slick husband is sleeping with their housekeeper, Tina (Claudia Salas). Tina's mom, Adela (Nathalie Poza), struggles to make ends meet while taking care of her own ailing mother. Nat (Candela Peña), prim and stylish, loves her job at a high-end department store … until she is forced out by a blasé boss who prefers to hire less-qualified Instagram influencers. Vera (Pilar Castro), a celebrity chef, vents to her pal Marga about how hopeless she feels, how sinister the world seems to her. But it isn't just perception, it is also projection: She winds up torturing a journalist who antagonizes her. 'We're all just selfishness, meanness and madness,' she tells him while he's tied to a table. When Victoria (Cecilia Roth) realizes the award she is getting is sponsorship nonsense and not a belated recognition of her work, the humiliation overwhelms her, and we watch this tidal wave of self-recrimination crash on shore. Have I been a fool this whole time? How much of my life have I wasted operating under these misapprehensions about myself, about the world? Everything on 'Rage' escalates, quickly, and the behaviors are extreme — and exciting. While the characters are motivated by pain, the show itself is bright and funny, colorful and surprising. Two episodes air on Friday and the remaining six air weekly after that.
