Former President Trump said he would miss Thursday's trial of E. Jean Carroll to attend his mother-in-law's funeral and called the judge presiding over the case “terrible” for not delaying the trial that day.
“As you know, the first lady's mother has passed away. The funeral is tomorrow,” Trump said Wednesday at a news conference in New York City after his day in court. “And we would have assumed that for a trial like this, there was no emergency in terms of the timing and the judge would be very kind and let me go. I wanted to attend all the trials because I was watching.''At the first trial, I was told by my lawyer not to go too much. The lawyer said it was humiliating, there was no evidence, there was nothing. So I didn't go. And I understood exactly what he meant. “It was humiliating. There's no reason to go, and you shouldn't go.”
Former President Donald Trump speaks after leaving the courtroom for recess at the New York State Supreme Court on December 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Eduardo Muñoz Alvarez, File)
Melania Trump announces death of beloved mother: 'I will miss her very much'
Trump said he would “work all day” because “the judge absolutely hates Trump.”
“So it happened so bad that they asked for the trial to be postponed for just one day so we could go to the funeral tomorrow, so it could start on Friday or Monday or whenever they wanted. '' Trump explained. “And he said absolutely not, the trial would continue as is.”
Trump said the judge said, “You can go to the funeral or you can go to court, but you can't do both.”
Melania Trump and Donald Trump. (Getty Images)
“I thought it was terrible. I thought it was terrible,” Trump continued. “So he wants me to either miss the funeral or go to the funeral and miss the trial.”
He added: “He's a mean guy. He's a mean judge. He's a guy who hates Trump. And it's clear to everyone on the court that this is a disgrace. Frankly, what a disgrace.” Is this happening? It's shameful.”
Trump referred to Judge Louis A. Kaplan, saying he was a “Clinton appointee.”
Amalia Knabs, mother of former first lady Melania Trump, died last week at the age of 78.
Amalia Knaves, mother of First Lady Melania Trump, arrives at the White House in Washington, DC on March 31, 2019. (Olivier Drierly/AFP via Getty Images)
Melania Trump spends Christmas with sick mother, skips Mar-a-Lago celebration
“It is with deep sadness that I announce the death of my beloved mother Amalia,” the former first lady said in a post on X.
“Amalia Knahus was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth and dignity,” Melania wrote. “She was completely devoted to her husband, daughter and grandchildren and to them. son in law. ”
“While we will miss her immeasurably, we will continue to honor and love her,” she added.
After winning the Iowa caucuses on Monday night, Trump thanked his late mother-in-law in his victory speech.
“I want to thank my wonderful wife, the first lady. My former and maybe future wife, but more importantly than First Lady Melania, I want to thank her incredibly beautiful mother, who passed away a few days ago,” Trump said. Stated. “And she's up there, way up there. She's looking down and she's so proud of us. And I want to say to Amalia, you're special, you're the best I've ever known.” He's one of the most special people I've met.”
The funeral will be held Thursday in Palm Beach, Florida.
President Trump appeared in court this week as part of a civil defamation damages trial stemming from the incident. Carol's He filed a lawsuit alleging that he sexually assaulted his girlfriend in a department store fitting room in the 1990s.
The second trial comes after a federal jury in New York City ruled in May that Trump was not responsible for rape but was responsible for sexual abuse and defamation. The former president was ordered to pay $5 million.
Carroll, 79, said President Trump raped her It was sometime in 1996 at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan. According to Carroll, the two ran into each other at a store where Trump was trying to buy a gift for a “girl.” She said the man pushed her into her changing room and assaulted her after he asked her for advice and the two of them went shopping for her.
President Trump fails to claim presidential immunity in E-Jean Carroll defamation lawsuit, appeals court rules
Trump vehemently denied the allegations, and as a result of that denial, Carroll slammed Trump with a defamation lawsuit, claiming that Trump's response had damaged her reputation.
Mr. Trump and his lawyers have maintained that Mr. Carroll's claims were fabricated, and the former president's initial reactions included accusations that Mr. Carroll's motive was to sell copies of her book. was.
E. Jean Carroll will appear in court after her trial in Manhattan federal court in New York City on May 8, 2023. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
“I have no idea who this woman is,” President Trump told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview shortly after the jury returned its verdict.
“This verdict is shameful,” he told Fox News Digital at the time. “This is a continuation of the greatest political witch hunt in history.”
The former president told reporters last week that he plans to testify for the defense in the current trial, saying, “I'm going to explain to you that I don't know who the hell she is.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Carroll, 80, is expected to testify about the damage to her career and reputation caused by President Trump's public comments. She is seeking $10 million in compensatory damages and millions more in punitive damages.
Nine jurors have been selected for the trial, which Kaplan said is expected to last three to five days. Testimony begins Wednesday.
