U.S. President Donald Trump has failed in his bid to block the explosive book by John Bolton, his former national security adviser.
The book, titled ‘The Room Where It Happened’,is scheduled for release next week.
Titillating excerpts have already been published in the U.S major media.
U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth said he could not stop the book.
This is because it has already been printed and shipped out across the nation.
He said the Trump administration did not establish the need for an injunction to be issued against Bolton.
U.S. Justice Department had raised issues surrounding national security and sensitive information.
It said Bolton was cutting corners around the government review process.
The judge however, lashed Bolton.
“Defendant Bolton has gambled with the national security of the United States.
He has exposed his country to harm and himself to civil (and potentially criminal) liability,” the judge wrote.
In a tweet shortly after the decision was released, Trump charged again that Bolton was releasing classified information.
“He must pay a very big price for this, as others have before him,” Trump said.
“This should never to(sic) happen again!!!”
Trump drew some solace from the judge’s rebuke of Bolton.
“BIG COURT WIN against Bolton. Obviously, with the book already given out and leaked to many people and the media,” Trump said.
Simon & Schuster, the publishers of Bolton’s memoir welcomed the ruling.
“We are grateful that the Court has vindicated the strong First Amendment protections against censorship and prior restraint of publication,” they said in a statement.
Bolton’s book has drawn wide attention for its withering portrayal of Trump and how politics drove the president’s foreign policy.
Bolton describes Trump as imploring Chinese President Xi Jinping for help in winning his 2020 re-election bid.
He also detailed alleged improprieties not addressed in Trump’s impeachment trial.
Trump ousted Bolton, a foreign policy hawk, last September after 17 months as national security adviser.
Critics said Trump moved to halt the book’s release because he was worried it could damage his November election prospects.
