A letter calling for U.S. publishers not to sign book deals with Trump administration officials has been signed by 500 authors and literary professionals.
The letter, titled “No Book Deals For Traitors,” was written by Barry Lyga in an attempt to keep members of the Trump administration from financially benefiting from book deals.
500.
List is updated here: https://t.co/qjOjCHfY8W
Gonna take a break for a little while. Thanks, everyone.
— Barry Lyga (@barrylyga) January 19, 2021
“As members of the writing and publishing community of the United States, we affirm that participation in the administration of Donald Trump must be considered a uniquely mitigating criterion for publishing houses when considering book deals,” the letter reads.
As of Jan. 18, the letter had 500 signatures from across the literary field, including authors, editors, journalists and others.
“Consequently, we believe: No participant in an administration that caged children, performed involuntary surgeries on captive women, and scoffed at science as millions were infected with a deadly virus should be enriched by the almost rote largesse of a big book deal,” the letter goes on to say. (RELATED: Trump Responds To ‘Jaw-Dropping’ Tell-All Book By Former Staffer)
Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a supporter of President Donald Trump, had his book publisher back out of the deal after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol building.