New York, New York – Former President Donald Trump has launched an attack against the judge presiding over his defamation civil fraud trial. Taking to social media, Trump criticized Judge Lewis Kaplan, who had previously ruled that the former president defamed ex-Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll while denying her sexual assault allegations. Trump characterized Kaplan as “extraordinarily hostile” towards him. The trial is set to resume in New York after being postponed for a week due to illnesses reported by a juror and one of Trump’s lawyers, Alina Habba. The trial will determine the amount of damages Trump will have to pay Carroll.
In his social media post, Trump continued his pattern of criticizing judges overseeing his cases, as seen in his clashes with Judge Arthur Engoron during a civil fraud trial regarding alleged financial statements inflation. The former president also highlighted his recent successes in the 2024 GOP primary season, solidifying his position as the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination.
Trump expressed his frustration regarding the upcoming trial, stating that it is based on “False Accusations” and that the federal judge overseeing the case is a “100% Trump Hater.” Carroll is seeking at least $10 million from Trump over claims of defamation.
This civil trial is separate from a previous lawsuit where Carroll accused Trump of sexual battery and defamation, resulting in a $5 million damages order against the former president. In a separate social media post, Trump denied the assault allegations and branded the lawsuit as a “ridiculous” and “FALSE ACCUSATION.”
Kaplan had previously ruled that Trump’s legal team could not argue to the jury that he did not commit the alleged assault or that Carroll fabricated the attack for book sales, deeming such arguments irrelevant. This ruling marked the first time that Trump has been found legally responsible for a sexual assault. Several other women have also accused Trump of similar behavior.
Carroll’s legal team has not yet provided a comment on the matter. The trial is set to continue in New York, with both sides presenting their case.
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