The News
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Donald Trump gathered reporters for a “press conference” that quickly became an extended diatribe against multiple women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. The event ended roughly 50 minutes after it began, with Trump taking no questions.
“Frankly, I know you’re gonna say it’s a terrible thing to say, but it couldn’t have happened,” Trump said after describing in detail an allegation from Jessica Leeds over unwanted groping on a flight, which was raised during his E. Jean Carroll trial. “It didn’t happen, and she would not have been the chosen one. She would not have been the chosen one.”
The Trump Tower event came after he appeared in court that morning to appeal a verdict in a civil trial that found him liable for defamation and sexual abuse against Carroll, who testified that Trump raped her in a dressing room in the 1990s. Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million, and later another $83 million in a related defamation case.
Trump discussed at length the particulars of the case, saying an old photo of him and Carroll together “could have been AI-generated.” He went on to dispute Carroll’s claim that he preyed on her while at a department store, saying his appearance there would have made the New York Post’s gossip sheet “Page Six” if that were true. He asked attendees to view an episode of “Law & Order: SVU” that he claimed bore resemblance to her story.
“Never met her, never touched her, never had anything to do with her,” Trump said.
The ongoing legal battle was clearly weighing on Trump’s mind — he lashed out at his own attorneys as they stood behind him, stone faced and occasionally glancing at each other, saying he was “disappointed in my legal talent.” The former president also mocked his advisers, whose advice to avoid further denigrating Carroll he ignored.
One possible reason for that advice: As Carroll’s lawyer pointed out to the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman on Friday, Trump’s comments could spur future defamation lawsuits.
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Shelby’s view
Needless to say, it’s not typical for candidates to kick off the home stretch of an election by reminding voters about multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against them, including one that was litigated by a jury of their peers. I got messages from folks on both sides of the political aisle expressing confusion over what, exactly, the strategy behind the event was.
But this isn’t even the first time it’s happened for Trump: He did the same thing at the peak of the Republican primaries en route to an easy victory.
Democrats were initially hesitant to highlight the Carroll legal cases, but they’ve come up in attacks more recently. Harris said in her convention speech last month that Trump was “found liable for committing sexual abuse.” With a debate just four days away, Harris could have a chance to revisit the topic again in front of a mass audience, particularly given some of Trump’s more inflammatory remarks today.
And, shortly after his remarks wrapped up, news broke that sentencing for the former president’s New York hush money case would be delayed until after the election: A big win for Trump that could be overshadowed by his emphasis on today’s appeals hearing.
Notable
- The White House mocked Trump after he gave a confusing answer to a question on child care access at an event Thursday. Democrats are eager for voters to see more examples of Trump speaking at length recently, with some complaining that coverage tends to shorten some of his more rambling quotes.