The CEO of the publishing company for an explosive new book about the Trump White House told employees Monday that the administration's demand that the book not be published is "flagrantly unconstitutional."
"The president is free to call news 'fake' and to blast the media. That goes against convention, but it is not unconstitutional," Macmillan Publishers CEO John Sargent wrote, according to a transcript of the memo obtained by The Associated Press.
"But a demand to cease and desist publication — a clear effort by the President of the United States to intimidate a publisher into halting publication of an important book on the workings of the government — is an attempt to achieve what is called prior restraint. That is something that no American court would order as it is flagrantly unconstitutional," Sargent continued.
The book contains numerous allegations about the Trump White House and sparked a public rift between the president and his former chief strategist, Stephen Bannon.
In the book, Bannon, who is quoted extensively as a central figure in Trump’s administration, called a meeting between Donald Trump Jr.
Donald (Don) John TrumpTrump files paperwork to transfer businesses MORE and a Russian lawyer in 2016 “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.” He has since issued a statement further explaining his remarks.
An attorney for Trump sent the publisher a cease-and-desist letter last week, demanding the book not be published and the author issue an apology.
The company responded by moving the release date of the book up from Jan. 9 to Jan. 5.
Trump has lashed out at the book, calling Wolff a “fraud” and deeming the work a “fake book.”
Other lawmakers and White House officials have ripped the book as “fiction” and “garbage,” claiming it contains false statements.