Donald Trump's attorney confronted the judge during her client's defamation trial in New York on Wednesday, as the court listened to evidence presented by E. Jean Carroll, accusing the former president of sexually assaulting her. Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, objected to Carroll's answer, prompting Judge Lewis Kaplan to harshly reprimand her, stating, "When you speak in this courtroom or any courtroom in this building, you will stand," as reported by CNN.
Trump was not required to attend the civil trial, which he was present for on the second day, as he seeks to leverage several legal challenges against him to rally supporters ahead of the New Hampshire primary and his 2024 campaign. According to American media reports, Carroll stated during the session that she "came to court to stop him from telling lies about me."
In response to a question about the damage this comment did to her reputation, Carroll said, "I was previously known as a journalist, and now I'm known as a liar and a fraud" – labels Trump directed at her. CNN noted that "Trump shook his head when Carroll accused him of assaulting her and spoke to his lawyer while she was testifying – prompting Carroll's attorneys to complain to the judge about that."
