Melania Trump is understood to have instructed Harbottle & Lewis to sue the Daily Mail over a story which included claims that she worked as a prostitute in the 1990s.

The article cast doubt on Melania's claim that she arrived in the US from Slovenia in 1996, describing how topless pictures had emerged which suggested that she arrived a year earlier, when she would not have had a work visa. It also included details of rumours that the New York modelling agency which signed Melania doubled as an escort agency.

"You're hired!"

Reliable sources for the story included a Slovenian newspaper and a book called, "From The Whore House To The White House: The True Story Of Melania Trump". However Paolo Zampolli, the owner of the agency, told the Daily Mail the allegations were "fucking rubbish", while a spokesman for Trump's campaign said the book was "unauthorised" (no kidding) and written by "malicious and bitter 'reporters'”.

Starting legal action during a campaign is a highly unusual move for the partner of a presidential candidate. But that may not be the case for the partner of a bullying, impulsive, thin-skinned, ignorant, misogynist, racist, xenophobic narcissist. Anyway, Melania is now understood to be suing the Daily Mail and other news outlets.
 
Meanwhile in the UK the Trumps have paid to enjoy the services of high-class media specialist Harbottle & Lewis. The firm did not respond to repeated requests for comment.