Queens judge tosses Trump family request to block publication of niece's tell-all
Washington — A New York City judge on Thursday tossed out a request filed by President Trump's younger brother that sought to block publication of a tell-all book written by the president's niece, Mary Trump, set to hit shelves next month.
Judge Peter Kelly of the Queens County Surrogate's Court said in his four-page ruling that the court lacks the jurisdiction to grant the request from Mr. Trump's younger brother, Robert Trump, to halt the book's release, as any relief should instead be obtained through action in the New York State Supreme Court.
Kelly said Robert Trump's requests contained "several improprieties" and that his court is the "improper" forum for the request.
Theodore Boutrous, who is representing Mary Trump in the dispute, praised the decision, saying in a statement the request by the Trump family to stop publication was "baseless."
"We hope this decision will end the matter," Boutrous said. "Democracy thrives on the free exchange of ideas, and neither this court nor any other has authority to violate the Constitution by imposing a prior restraint on core political speech."
Charles Harder, who is representing Robert Trump, said in a statement that he "will proceed with filing a new lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court."
The book by Mary Trump, "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man," is set to be published July 28 by o be published by Simon & Schuster, a division of ViacomCBS. The publisher describes the book as a "revelatory, authoritative portrait of Donald J. Trump and the toxic family that made him." Mary Trump is the daughter of Mr. Trump's older brother, Fred Trump Jr., who died more than 30 years ago.
Earlier this week, Robert Trump filed a request with the Queens County Surrogate's Court to block publication of Mary Trump's book, claiming it would violate the terms of a nondisclosure agreement signed by the Trump family, including the president, his siblings, Mary Trump and his nephew Fred Trump III. The confidentiality agreement was part of probate proceedings in the estate of Mr. Trump's father, Fred C. Trump, and mother, Mary Trump.
Harder said Robert Trump filed the matter in the Queens County Surrogate's Court because he and and the family "agreed to jurisdiction of future disputes" there.
According to The Daily Beast, Mary Trump is expected to reveal in the book that she was a source for the New York Times in its bombshell investigation into Mr. Trump's finances.
