Melania Trump Threatens to Sue People Magazine, Journalist Who Says She Was Assaulted by Donald Trump

Melania Trump is demanding a retraction and an apology from People magazine for publishing a former writer's account of Donald Trump assaulting her while she was on assignment covering the Trump's first anniversary.

At 7:15 p.m. on Thursday night, Melania Trump tweeted the demand on letterhead of her lawyer, Charles Harder. It was addressed to People Editorial Director Jess Cagle and former People writer Natasha Stoynoff, who wrote a first-person account about Donald Trump pinning her against the wall and forcibly kissing her at Mar-a-Lago in 2005.

The letter, which calls parts of the story "false and completely fictionalized" does not mention the allegations at the center of the story, but instead complains that, "The two are not friends and were never friends or even friendly." The letter demands correction within 24 hours or Melania Trump would "consider her legal options."

On behalf of Trump, Harder, who has previously sent letters to the media on Melania Trump's behalf, disputed that she and Stoynoff ran into each other, citing the following lines from the People story:

That winter, I actually bumped into Melania on Fifth Avenue, in front of Trump Tower as she walked into the building, carrying baby Barron.

“Natasha, why don’t we see you anymore?” she asked, giving me a hug.

I was quiet and smiled, telling her I’d missed her, and I squeezed little Barron’s foot. I couldn’t discern what she knew. Did she really not guess why I hadn’t been around?

Earlier in the day, before Trump threatened the magazine with a lawsuit, Cagle said in a statement, "we are grateful to Natasha Stoynoff for telling her story. Ms. Stoynoff is a remarkable, ethical, honest and patriotic woman, and she has shared her story of being physically attacked by Donald Trump in 2005 because she felt it was her duty to make the public aware."

For his part, Donald Trump's reaction to Stoynoff's piece was to deny that the incident happened, suggesting she wasn't attractive enough to him to assault her.

"Look at her. . .I don't think so," Trump said at a rally in West Palm Beach, Florida.

On Twitter, the New York businessman said that if it had happened, it would have been part of her original story.

The full text of the letter is below:

Re: Melania Trump – Demand for Retraction and Apology

Dear Mr. Cagle and Ms Stoynoff:

This law firm is litigation counsel for Melania Trump. We write in connection with certain of the false statements int he story authored by Natasha Stoynoff and published by People Online on or about October 12, 2016 bearing the headline, “Physically Attacked by Donald Trump – a PEOPLE Writer’s Own Harrowing Story” (the “Story”). The Story is located at the URL address: http://people.com/politics/don...

The following statements in the Story, among others, are false and completely fictionalized. We therefore demand that you immediately and permanently remove each of these statements from the Story, and print a prominent retraction and apology:

1. “That winter, I actually bumped into Melania on Fifth Avenue, in front of Trump Tower as she walked into the building, carrying baby Barron.”
2. “‘Natasha, why don’t we see you anymore?’ she asked, giving me a hug.”
3. “I was quiet and smiled, telling her I’d missed her, and I squeezed little Barron’s foot.”

The true facts are these: Mrs. Trump did not encounter Ms. Stoynoff on the street, nor have any conversation with her. The two are not friends and were never friends or even friendly.

At the time in question, Mrs. Trump would not even have recognized Ms. Stoynoff if they had encountered one another on the street.

Your publication of the false statements is actionable and gives rise to claims of damages. Please confirm in writing within twenty-four (24) hours of the transmission of this letter that the foregoing demands will be, and are being, fully complied with. Failure to do so will require Mrs. Trump to consider her legal options.

This letter is not intended as a full or complete statement of all relevant facts or applicable law, and nothing herein is intended as, nor should it be deemed to constitute, a waiver or relinquishment of any of my client’s rights, remedies, claims or causes of action, all of which are hereby expressly reserved.

Very truly yours,

CHARLES J. HARDER OF
HARDER MIRELL & ABRAMS LLP

Photo credit: Marc Nozell via Flickr Commons