British newspaper Telegraph to pay Melania Trump 'substantial' damages for article

In an explanation titled "Melania Trump - An Apology," the newspaper wrote that the first lady's father was not "a fearsome presence and did not control the family." PHOTO: AFP

LONDON (BLOOMBERG) - British newspaper The Telegraph has agreed to pay United States First Lady Melania Trump "substantial" damages after running an article in its magazine a week ago that it said included "a number of false statements" and shouldn't have been published.

The British newspaper said "The Mystery of Melania", the cover story of its Jan 19 edition of the magazine, made erroneous claims about her family and career. The article can no longer be found its website.

In an explanation titled "Melania Trump - An Apology", the newspaper wrote that the first lady's father was not "a fearsome presence and did not control the family".

It also said she didn't leave her studies in design and architecture at university due to an exam, but because she wanted to pursue a career as a model. It also said it inaccurately stated she was "struggling" as a model when she met Mr Donald Trump, now the president.

It corrected the timing of when she met Mr Trump, and when her family arrived in the US. The apology also said the story erroneously reported she cried the night her husband was elected president.

"We apologise unreservedly to the First Lady and her family for any embarrassment caused by our publication of these allegations," the Telegraph article said. "As a mark of our regret we have agreed to pay Mrs Trump substantial damages as well as her legal costs." A spokesman at the Telegraph did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Saturday.

Mrs Trump has previously taken aim at other journalists who wrote about her family or experience growing up in Slovenia. On her Facebook page, she regularly posts retractions that media outlets have made after reporting on her immigration status or other aspects of her life. She has also posted letters from her lawyers, challenging the accuracy of news stories.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.