Trump deposition video in E. Jean Carroll lawsuit released
The video of President Trump’s deposition in E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit was released Friday.
The 48 minutes of footage show Trump responding to questions from Carroll’s lawyer over the writer’s claims that he raped her in the mid-1990s. Trump denies her allegations.
Carroll is suing Trump in federal court in New York City, accusing him of sexual battery and defamation.
A transcript of the deposition was previously revealed in court filings, and portions of the video were played for jurors earlier this week, but but the footage had not been released publicly until Friday.
Two journalists had requested the court release the footage.
Closing arguments are expected Monday.
Trump defends Access Hollywood tape
In the deposition, Trump repeatedly denied Carroll’s claims as he attacked her appearance and claimed the case was a hoax.
Carroll’s lawyers played for Trump the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape that surfaced ahead of the 2016 presidential election, in which Trump is heard saying lewd comments about grabbing women to television host Billy Bush.
Trump defended his comments in the deposition as “locker room talk.”
Trump mistakes Carroll for ex-wife
At one point during Trump’s deposition, Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, showed the former president a years-old photo of him and Carroll in a receiving line. Upon seeing the photo, Trump mistook Carroll for his ex-wife, Marla Maples.
“That’s Marla, yeah. That’s my wife,” Trump said.
“Which woman are you pointing to?” Kaplan responded.
Trump attorney Alina Habba then interjected, “No, that’s Carroll.”
Trump comments on lawyer’s appearance
Near the end of his testimony, Kaplan also played Trump a video of him at a campaign rally denying the claims of another woman, Jessica Leeds. Leeds accused Trump of groping her during a flight in 1979 and testified at the trial on Carroll’s behalf.
Trump during the rally said she would not be his “first choice.”
After the video was played, Trump in his deposition again denied Leeds’s claims before turning his focus to Kaplan.
“You wouldn’t be a choice of mine, either, to be honest with you,” Trump said. “I hope you’re not insulted. I wouldn’t under any circumstances have any interest in you.”
“I’m honest when I say it,” he added.
Updated at 4:33 p.m.
Source: The Hill
