Trump lawyers seek to halt tell-all book release

Lawyers for US President Donald Trump are trying to stop the release of a book containing explosive insights into his presidency, US media report.

Attorney Charles J Harder instructed the book’s author Michael Wolff and publisher to “immediately cease and desist from any further publication, release or dissemination of the book," in a letter seen by the Washington Post.

Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House is due for release on Tuesday. The book is a purported tell-all book about Trump’s first year as president penned by veteran journalist Michael Wolff.

It set off a flurry of condemnation from the White House today, after excerpts were published. Leaked excerpts include quotes from former presidential adviser Steve Bannon. In one quote he calls a Trump campaign meeting "treasonous"

Another quote claims that first lady Melania Trump was devastated when her husband won the election

Trump earlier responded to the release of excerpts by saying Bannon had “lost his mind” after losing his White House position.

On his radio show on Wednesday, Bannon responded to the president's criticism by saying he was a "great man".

"You know, I support him day in and day out," he said on the show produced by right-wing Breitbart News, which he heads.

Harder also sent a cease and desist letter to Bannon, claiming her breached a confidentiality agreement by making "disparaging statements" about the President to Wolff.

Another excerpts says "Between themselves, (Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner) had made an earnest deal: If sometime in the future the opportunity arose, she'd be the one to run for president. The first woman president, Ivanka entertained, would not be Hillary Clinton; it would be Ivanka Trump."

The book is reportedly based on more than 200 interviews.