The letter comes after excerpts of a forthcoming book revealed that former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon criticized members of President Donald Trump's family. | Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Trump lawyer sends Bannon 'cease and desist' letter

President Donald Trump’s lawyer sent former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon a “cease and desist” letter on Wednesday, accusing him of violating an agreement signed during the 2016 campaign that prevented him from disclosing confidential information or disparaging Trump and his family.

The letter comes after excerpts of a forthcoming book by journalist Michael Wolff revealed that Bannon criticized Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. According to the excerpts, Bannon referred to a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with Russian operatives arranged by Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner as “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.”


The White House disavowed the book, and Trump bashed Bannon in a forceful statement earlier Wednesday.

“Mr. Trump and the Company hereby demand that you cease and desist from any and all further disclosure of Confidential Information, disparagement of Mr. Trump, his family members, his or their companies, and/or the Company, and communication with the media, including but not limited to Mr. Wolff and any and all other journalists, reports, authors and bloggers,” Trump’s lawyer, Charles Harder, wrote in the letter.

Harder also reserved the right to take legal action if the letter’s demands are not met.

“Mr. Trump and the Company retain all rights to pursue legal action against you. Should that occur, they would bring all available causes of action and seek all available legal and equitable remedies, including monetary damages, to the maximum extent permitted by law,” Harder wrote.

In a separate statement, Harder said Bannon’s actions “give rise to numerous legal claims including defamation by libel and slander, and breach of his written confidentiality and non-disparagement agreement with our clients,” adding, “Legal action is imminent.”

The letter was first reported by ABC News.