NEW YORK: Following his recent victory in the Republican Iowa caucuses, former President Donald Trump appeared in a New York courtroom on Tuesday to face a defamation trial initiated by writer E. Jean Carroll.
The trial stems from allegations made by Carroll, who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s. Carroll is seeking over $10 million in damages, claiming that Trump defamed her in 2019 by stating, “she is not my type,” after she publicly disclosed the assault.
This defamation case is separate from a civil case last year in which another New York jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting Carroll and defaming her in 2022, resulting in a $5 million damages award.
Carroll, 80, alleges that in 1996, Trump sexually abused her in a Manhattan department store dressing room, a claim that the previous civil jury upheld. Despite facing various legal challenges, Trump’s base of supporters remains strong, as evidenced by his recent overwhelming victory in the Iowa caucuses.
Trump’s Legal Challenges
This trial marks one of several legal battles Trump is currently entangled in, including four criminal cases with 91 counts related to various allegations, such as attempts to undermine the 2020 election and business fraud. Trump has utilized these legal challenges to promote a conspiracy theory, suggesting a “deep state” conspiracy against him.
The presiding judge, Lewis Kaplan, has issued strict instructions to restrain Trump during the trial. Carroll’s lawyers urged the judge to prevent Trump from making “inadmissible, prejudicial” comments in court. Despite the previous civil jury’s finding, Trump maintains that he has never seen Carroll and has labeled her as a “wack job,” claiming the trial is “rigged.”
