Trump's Attempt to Block Wolff Book Backfires

'Fire and Fury' is going on sale early
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 5, 2018 3:50 AM CST
Updated Jan 5, 2018 6:23 AM CST
Wolff's Trump Book Is Going on Sale Early
Michael Wolff speaks at the Newseum in Washington.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

President Trump's attempt to block the release of Michael Wolff's explosive book on his White House has backfired: The author and publisher Henry Holt say it is going to be released early thanks to "unprecedented demand." "Here we go. You can buy it (and read it) tomorrow. Thank you, Mr President," Wolff tweeted Thursday. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, which was originally scheduled to come out next Tuesday, is already No. 1 on the Amazon best-seller list. The publisher says the book will be released at 9am Friday in all formats. Wolff's TV book tour has also been moved forward and he will now appear on the Today show Friday morning, CNN reports.

At least 250,000 copies of the book, which Henry Holt calls an "extraordinary contribution to our national discourse," have already been shipped. The decision to release it early came hours after Trump's lawyer demanded that Wolff and the publisher "immediately cease and desist from any further publication, release or dissemination." American Civil Liberties Union spokesman Ben Wizner says a Trump lawsuit would have no chance, the Guardian reports. "Even Donald’s Trump’s lawyers aren’t crazy enough to present this to a court," he says. "It would be extraordinary and unprecedented for a court to respond to these claims by blocking publication. That is not going to happen." He adds: "I think there is an audience of one for these legal threats and that's Donald Trump." (Trump attacked Wolff and "Sloppy" Steve Bannon in an angry tweet Thursday night.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X