NEW YORK — Former President Trump has taken a stand in a defamation lawsuit filed by advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.
Trump's testimony marks a critical juncture in the case, which seeks to block Carroll's claim for at least $10 million in damages over Trump's denials that he sexually assaulted her in the mid-1990s. become.
Trump has publicly attacked Carroll's credibility and appearance in the court of public opinion for years, including at a recent campaign rally and in dozens of “Truth Social” posts. .
Mr. Trump recently took the stand in New York in a civil fraud trial involving his business empire, but Thursday will be the first time Mr. Trump has taken the stand in any of Mr. Carroll's trials. The judge laid out ground rules for what President Trump can and cannot say, including a number of questions.
Trump was called as a witness by his defense attorney, Alina Haba.
The judge overseeing the Carroll case last week threatened to remove Trump from the courtroom for criticizing Carroll during testimony.
There has been speculation about whether Trump will address the jury, and he and his defense team have increasingly signaled in recent days that the former president wants to do so.
Carroll, who testified last week, sued Trump for defamation in 2019 after a former Elle columnist publicly accused him of sexual assault decades earlier.
A judge previously found Trump automatically liable for defamation after Carroll secured a verdict in court last year that found Trump liable for sexual abuse.
The jury, which is scheduled to hear from the former president on Thursday, will only decide how much Carroll must pay for defaming her, on top of the $5 million Trump won last year.
Given the issues already decided, President Trump is barred from making many of the claims he has made publicly in recent days, including defamation and denials of sexual assault against a former columnist.
Carroll's lawyers had previously questioned what Trump could testify, raising concerns that Trump would use his testimony to turn the trial into a “circus.” .
“In any event, notwithstanding the limitations placed on President Trump by the January 9, 2024 order, he is still able to provide substantial testimony in his own defense,” the suit said. Mr. Haba, President Trump's chief lawyer, responded in a court filing.
Trump's testimony on Thursday came after the trial was delayed several days due to coronavirus-related concerns.
On Monday, both the juror and Mr. Haba complained of feeling unwell, and Mr. Haba said he had recently contracted the coronavirus but had tested negative. The judge delayed the trial for at least a day at Haba's request.
The judge then decided to keep the trial in the dark for two more days. Mr. Haba had indicated he would testify Wednesday as Mr. Trump travels first to New Hampshire for the primary, but neither side had publicly called for a further pause.
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