CNN Thursday came up with a report claiming that they reached out to Melania Trump 's book publisher for an interview with the former first lady ahead of the release of her memoir but the publisher sent an unusual demand of $250,000. Melania has remained elusive this election season, apparently busy with her book though she appeared on a Fox interview and spoke on a number of issues.
The CNN report said apart from the $250,000 which was termed as a licensing feel, the Skyhorse Publishing sent a document to CNN labeling "confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement" that laid out strict terms for an interview and use of material from the book.
CNN did not sign the agreement, the report said.
A CNN journalist reached out to the publishing house asking about the fee and the NDA to which the publisher said it was a mistake.
"Neither Melania nor anyone from her team knew anything about the NDA and the document that was sent reflected an internal miscommunication," Tony Lyons, the president and publisher of Skyhorse, told CNN in a statement. “Had CNN signed an NDA, in the normal course of business, we would have approached Melania’s team to discuss [specifics of the interview],” Lyons said.
The report said Melania Trump's spokesperson declined comment.
The report added that though the publisher called the charge an internal error, Melania was reportedly paid $237500 for an April even of the Republican party for a speaking engagement.
"Records show Melania Trump was also paid $250,000 for a Log Cabin Republican event in December 2022, one of three payments for $250,000 or more that she received for speaking that month, just after the former president announced he was running for reelection, according to Donald Trump’s prior year financial disclosure form," the CNN report said.
What was the NDA?
The NDA was to ensure that “the unpublished manuscript of the Work, notes, letters, photos, or verbal information of any kind and any information obtained from any third party that Publisher or Author treats as proprietary and designates as Confidential Material.”
Any CNN employee who would work on the interview would need to sign the NDA, the contract states, and each breach of the NDA would entitle Trump and/or her publisher “liquidated damages” of $100,000, according to the document.
The NDA has signature lines for CNN, Lyons, president of Skyhorse Publishing, which is distributed by Simon & Schuster, and the former first lady’s agent Marc Beckman.
The CNN report said apart from the $250,000 which was termed as a licensing feel, the Skyhorse Publishing sent a document to CNN labeling "confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement" that laid out strict terms for an interview and use of material from the book.
CNN did not sign the agreement, the report said.
A CNN journalist reached out to the publishing house asking about the fee and the NDA to which the publisher said it was a mistake.
"Neither Melania nor anyone from her team knew anything about the NDA and the document that was sent reflected an internal miscommunication," Tony Lyons, the president and publisher of Skyhorse, told CNN in a statement. “Had CNN signed an NDA, in the normal course of business, we would have approached Melania’s team to discuss [specifics of the interview],” Lyons said.
The report said Melania Trump's spokesperson declined comment.
The report added that though the publisher called the charge an internal error, Melania was reportedly paid $237500 for an April even of the Republican party for a speaking engagement.
"Records show Melania Trump was also paid $250,000 for a Log Cabin Republican event in December 2022, one of three payments for $250,000 or more that she received for speaking that month, just after the former president announced he was running for reelection, according to Donald Trump’s prior year financial disclosure form," the CNN report said.
What was the NDA?
The NDA was to ensure that “the unpublished manuscript of the Work, notes, letters, photos, or verbal information of any kind and any information obtained from any third party that Publisher or Author treats as proprietary and designates as Confidential Material.”
Any CNN employee who would work on the interview would need to sign the NDA, the contract states, and each breach of the NDA would entitle Trump and/or her publisher “liquidated damages” of $100,000, according to the document.
The NDA has signature lines for CNN, Lyons, president of Skyhorse Publishing, which is distributed by Simon & Schuster, and the former first lady’s agent Marc Beckman.
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