Video of Trump's post-court presser, Truth Social posts entered into evidence
Attorneys for Carroll entered evidence including Trump's post-trial press conference from last week, in which he called the court case "rigged" and said he had "no idea" who Carroll was. Several Truth Social posts in which Trump references Carroll were also entered into evidence.
Trump is in the courtroom
Trump is in the courtroom, seated next to attorney Habba. He is looking at Myers as she testifies.
Court is delayed awaiting arrival of Trump and Kaplan
As the court awaits the arrival of Trump and Kaplan, attorneys are discussing among themselves.
Trump arrives at the courthouse
Trump’s motorcade arrived at the courthouse moments ago. He arrived via the back garage, so the former president himself was not visible to reporters.
Security at the court is, as usual, extremely tight. Carroll appears to be in a good mood and talkative as she waits in line to go through security on the 26th floor.
Myers, Carroll’s boss when she wrote for the magazine, is expected to be the first witness. Then Carroll’s attorneys will play about 30 minutes of tape of Trump’s deposition before they rest their case.
What to expect at trial today
Carroll is expected to wrap up her case early in the day, allowing Trump’s defense to begin.
Kaplan has found Trump liable for defaming Carroll and therefore has limited what the former president can say. In a ruling last month, Kaplan barred Trump from "offering any testimony, evidence or argument suggesting or implying that he did not sexually assault Ms. Carroll, that she fabricated her account of the assault, or that she had any motive to do so."
Trump, however, hasn't said that he will abide by that order. Before the trial started, he told reporters, “I’m going to explain I don’t know who the hell she is.”
Carroll’s attorneys also plan to play for the jury excerpts from Trump's videotaped deposition in October 2022. In it, Trump called Carroll’s claims a “big fat hoax” and insisted that “physically, she’s not my type.”
Carroll’s lawyers are expected to call Myers to testify about Carroll’s reputation. Trump’s team might call Martin to testify, as well.
Trump bashes Carroll and Kaplan in the hours leading up to courtroom appearance
In a post on Truth Social last night, Trump said he is heading back to New York City for the Carroll defamation trial that he maintains is centered around “false accusations” against him.
Trump first touted his decisive wins in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary before going on to bash Carroll and Kaplan.
“I’m heading back to New York City for a trial based on False Accusations, from perhaps decades ago — The woman has no idea when!” he wrote, referring to Carroll.
“The Federal Judge in this Second Biden Political Opponent ‘Trial’ is extraordinarily hostile to me — Sadly, and I don’t know why, a 100% Trump Hater,” he added, referring to Kaplan. “He knows I did nothing wrong, but is looking to do a number on me. Only in America!”
The former president ramped up his attacks on Carroll in the days leading up to the start of the trial in the defamation case against him Jan. 16.
Trump has also previously accused Kaplan of being biased, complaining that the judge “hated President Donald J. Trump more than is humanly possible” after a jury found the former president liable in a separate case last year for sexually abusing Carroll in a New York City department store in the 1990s.
Trump likely to testify as Carroll damages trial resumes after Covid delay
Trump will be back today in a federal courthouse in New York City, where he’s expected to testify in his own defense in Carroll’s defamation case against him.
He was initially expected to testify Monday, but the proceedings were postponed after a juror fell ill and Trump attorney Alina Habba told the judge she’d been exposed to the coronavirus and was feeling sick. Habba and her co-counsel Michael Madaio both tested negative for the virus Monday.
Trump, who defeated Nikki Haley in Tuesday’s GOP presidential primary in New Hampshire during the three-day postponement, is likely to take the stand in the early afternoon.
Carroll is seeking at least $10 million in compensatory damages for “injury to her reputation, humiliation and mental anguish in her public and private life,” in addition to an unspecified amount in punitive damages to “punish Trump for acting maliciously and to deter Trump and others” from continuing to defame her. An expert who testified on Carroll’s behalf put the cost of repairing her reputation alone at $7 million to $12 million.