Former President Donald Trump restated his assertion that writer E. Jean Carroll made “false accusations” against him, despite the fact that similar statements have led to significant court rulings against him.
At a Georgia campaign rally, Trump addressed his concerns and grievances, including Carroll’s civil court victories. This rally marked Trump’s shift towards the general election, as he aims to avoid a second loss to Democratic President Joe Biden.
“I can’t believe I had to post a whopping $91 million bond for a completely fabricated story,” he exclaimed, referring to the recent bond he had to pay while appealing a defamation verdict against him.
“I was accused of false allegations by a woman I had no knowledge of, never met, and had never even heard of. I know absolutely nothing about her,” he stated, denying the claims made against him.
During a speech in Rome, approximately 70 miles northeast of Atlanta, Trump addressed the crowd, acknowledging the allegations made against him in the book. He emphasized his disbelief, saying, “She wrote a book, she said things. And when I denied it, I said, ‘It’s so crazy. It’s false.’ I get sued for defamation. That’s where it starts.”
In May, a jury ruled that Trump was not found liable for the alleged rape, but they did find him liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. As a result, Carroll was awarded $5 million in damages.
A different case centered on the same remarks Trump made about Carroll during his time in office and determined that he had defamed her by questioning the veracity of her story. Judge Lewis Kaplan of the U.S. District Court stated that this particular case would solely revolve around assessing the damages, which were ultimately determined to be $83.3 million, as the abuse allegations were proven to be true.
Trump has decided to appeal both cases.
Despite the judgments, Trump remained steadfast in his denial of Carroll’s account. In fact, he went on to discredit her credibility, stating that she is “not a believable person.” Furthermore, he criticized Judge Kaplan, referring to him as a “terrible person” and claiming that he is highly corrupt.
In his defense against defamation allegations, Trump pointed fingers at “Democratic operatives” and labeled the city where he and his father engaged in numerous real estate ventures for decades as a corrupt metropolis.
According to Trump, “New York is a highly corrupt place.”
As of early Sunday, Carroll had not responded to Trump’s latest denials of her story.
Jake Traylor, a campaign embed for NBC News, is a talented individual who brings his skills and expertise to the table. With his knowledge and passion for journalism, he is ready to dive headfirst into the world of political campaigns.
