President Trump made a court appearance on Wednesday for the trial involving E. Jean Carroll’s testimony regarding his alleged defamatory statements about her.
The jury will determine the amount that Trump is required to pay due to these statements.
Judge Lewis Kaplan, who Clinton appointed, had previously ruled that Trump is legally responsible for the defamatory remarks he made about Carroll after she accused him of rape.
In May 2022, a Manhattan jury reached a verdict in the case involving Carroll’s allegations of rape and defamation. Back in 2019, E. Jean Carroll came forward with claims that Donald Trump sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room during the 1990s.
Trump has consistently denied these accusations and publicly referred to Carroll as a “whack job” who is not his type.
The jury concluded in 2022 that Trump did indeed sexually abuse and defame Carroll, resulting in an order for him to pay $5 million in damages (though he is currently appealing this decision).
During a CNN town hall event in May 2022, Trump strongly criticized E. Jean Carroll.
“What kind of a woman meets somebody and brings them up and within minutes you’re playing hanky-panky in a dressing room?” Trump said, adding the accusation was a ‘fake’ and ‘made-up story.’
E. Jean Carroll once again targeted Trump, and Judge Lewis Kaplan sided with her lawyers, ruling that Trump is responsible for his statements.
In the ongoing defamation case taking place in a Manhattan court this week, Carroll is seeking no less than $10 million in damages. On Wednesday, Judge Kaplan warned of removing Trump from the courtroom, and true to form, Trump didn’t hold back in response.
“I would love it,” Trump said after Judge Kaplan warned him he would be removed from the court if he’s ‘disruptive.’
Here’s how the exchange went down per CNN:
Judge Lewis Kaplan warned former President Donald Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he’s disruptive following another complaint from E. Jean Carroll’s lawyer that Trump could be heard making comments during testimony.
Carroll lawyer Shawn Crowley said Trump could be heard commenting, saying things like, “It is a witch hunt” and “It really is a con job.”
Kaplan responded, “Mr. Trump has the right to be present here. That right can be forfeited and it can be forfeited if he is disruptive, which what has been reported to me consists of. And if he disregards court orders, Mr. Trump, I hope I don’t have to consider excluding you from the trial.”
Trump threw his hands up in response.
“I understand you’re probably eager for me to do that,” Kaplan said.
Reporters in the courtroom heard Trump say, “I would love it.”
“I know you would,” Kaplan said. “You just can’t control yourself in this circumstance apparently.”
