Trump Loses Lawsuit as Judge Sides with Defendants

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

A federal judge has dismissed President Donald Trump’s copyright lawsuit against Bob Woodward, Simon & Schuster, and Paramount Global, ruling that Trump’s claims of co-authorship for the audiobook The Trump Tapes are not credible. The judge noted that conflicting copyright registrations need independent resolution of ownership issues. District Judge Paul Gardephe, citing Supreme Court guidance under the Copyright Act, ruled that authorship belongs to the creator.

Gardephe found Trump’s claim of joint authorship with Woodward unsubstantiated, noting Woodward and Simon & Schuster had filed their own copyright in February.

Gardephe ruled, “Trump’s legal claim does not ‘plausibly allege’ that he was the joint author of The Trump Tapes or has a copyright interest in them.”

Gardephe wrote, “The Supreme Court has instructed, under the Copyright Act, ‘the author is the party who actually creates the work, that is, the person who translates an idea into a fixed, tangible expression entitled to copyright protection.’”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-loses-lawsuit-as-judge-sides-with-defendants/ar-AA1KDMIy

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. Maddow Blog covered this

The demise of the president's case against the journalist offers a broader lesson about the benefits of fighting back — and the folly of appeasement.

The demise of Trump’s foolish lawsuit against Bob Woodward offers a timely reminder: When it comes to Trump’s bullying tactics...
Those who fight, win.
Those who appease, lose. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-07-21T12:40:52.014Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/demise-trumps-lawsuit-bob-woodward-offers-reminder-targets-rcna219958

But as it turns out, right around the same time that Trump’s lawyers were filing their WSJ case, their client received some related news. NBC News reported:

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.

In case anyone needs a fresher, it was in early 2023 when the Republican first filed a civil suit against Woodward and his publisher, claiming that the longtime journalist did not get his consent to release audio recordings of their interviews. Trump sought nearly $50 million in damages......

To be sure, there are some notable exceptions. When Trump filed a similarly weak case against ABC News, the network agreed to a controversial $15 million settlement with the president. More recently, in response to a bizarre lawsuit from the president, CBS News’ corporate parent agreed to an even more controversial $16 million settlement.

The broader lessons should be obvious. For one thing, those wildly unnecessary out-of-court settlements only emboldened Trump, effectively encouraging him to sue other news organizations that bothered him for one reason or another. Indeed, the president explicitly referenced the ABC News and CBS News payments when outing his new civil suit against The Wall Street Journal.

For another, the recent pattern suggests the only way to lose in a fight against Trump is to pursue a course rooted in appeasement. It’s true when it comes to law firms; it’s true when it comes to higher education; and it’s true in his court fights against news organizations.

[underpants]

2. Sounds like a vengeance suit by Trump

This were interviews of a public official that he agreed to. Does he think he gets part of other Woodward or Wolfe books?

He didn’t like how it came out because it was what we said and he’s a moron. He filed a suit so they had to spend money on legal fees.