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A New York judge warned Donald Trump he might boot him from his courtroom Wednesday after the former president verbally interjected as columnist E. Jean Carroll testified he raped her in a department store in 1996 and ruined her reputation when she went public with the claim.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan lost patience because Mr. Trump could be heard within the courtroom saying the trial was a “witch hunt” and “really is a con job.”
The judge said Mr. Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner, would likely relish being kicked out.
“Mr. Trump, I hope I don’t have to consider excluding you from the trial,” Judge Kaplan said after the jury was excused for lunch. “I understand you’re probably eager for me to do that.”
“I would love it,” Mr. Trump said.
“I know you would like it. You just can’t control yourself in this circumstance, apparently,” Judge Kaplan said.
The remarkable confrontation occurred after Ms. Carroll testified she was afraid for her safety because of comments Mr. Trump made after she publicly accused him of sexual assault.
“I’m here because Donald Trump assaulted me, and when I wrote about it, he said it never happened. He lied and shattered my reputation,” she said.
During Ms. Carroll’s testimony, Mr. Trump grimaced, shook his head and animatedly turned to speak to his lawyer, who lobbed multiple objections seeking to prevent the jury from hearing details of her sexual assault allegations.
“I’ve paid just about as dearly as it’s possible to pay,” Ms. Carroll testified.
Nine jurors will decide if Ms. Carroll is entitled to new damages because of Mr. Trump’s comments as president in 2019.
A previous jury awarded her $5 million after finding Mr. Trump liable for sex abuse and defamation claims related to her claims and the former president’s comments from 2022.
The court said the liability finding from the first trial would carry over to the second trial, so jurors need only determine how much Mr. Trump must pay.
The trial is occurring days after Mr. Trump romped to victory in the Iowa caucuses and before New Hampshire primary voters have their say Tuesday.
The Trump campaign sent a fundraising pitch in which the former president complained he was stuck in court while the 2024 race heated up.
“The New Hampshire primaries are DAYS away, but today, I’m in court defending myself against ANOTHER Witch Hunt trial,” the message said.
On the stand, Ms. Carroll said Mr. Trump’s public lies about her began in June 2019 and have continued without interruption.
“He lied last month. He lied on Sunday. He lied yesterday. And I am here to get my reputation back,” she said.
On cross-examination, Trump attorney Alina Habba characterized Ms. Carroll as a publicity seeker who hung out with Trump critics such as comedian Kathy Griffin, according to ABC News.
“You’ve continued to publicize every lawsuit you had against President Trump?” Ms. Habba said.
“Yes, because I wanted people to know that a woman can speak up and win a trial,” Ms. Carroll said. “I wanted people to know. I’m 80. I don’t want to be quiet. It’s not right to make a woman be quiet. It has gone on for too long.”
The defense tried to have Judge Kaplan recused from the trial following a lunch break, but the judge swiftly denied them.
Judge Kaplan also denied a request to suspend the trial on Thursday so Mr. Trump could attend the funeral of his mother-in-law in Palm Beach, Florida, without missing any court proceedings.
“The Judge, angrily, and somewhat surprisingly, said NO, you can go to the trial, or you can go to the funeral, but not both,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He is abusive, rude, and obviously not impartial but, that’s the way this crooked system works!”
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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