Donald Trump sits for deposition in E Jean Carroll rape allegation defamation case

Former president may have ‘blown up’ case in recent weeks, observers argue

Former president Donald Trump sat for a deposition on Wednesday in a defamation lawsuit from writer E Jean Carroll, who alleged the former president raped her in a New York City department store in the 1990s.

“We’re pleased that on behalf of our client, E. Jean Carroll, we were able to take Donald Trump’s deposition today,” the former Elle columnist’s attorneys told The Independent. “We are not able to comment further.”

Ms Carroll’s suit accuses Mr Trump of defamation for claiming in 2019 she was “totally lying” in response to the original rape allegation.

Last week, the former president continued attacking Ms Carroll and downplaying the allegations.

“You have to fight for years, and spend a fortune, in order to get your reputation back from liars, cheaters, and hacks…It is a Hoax and a lie, just like all the other Hoaxes that have been played on me for the past seven years,” Mr Trump said in a statement on social media.

“And, while I am not supposed to say it,” I will. “This woman is not my type! She has no idea what day, what week, what month, what year, or what decade this so-called ‘event’ supposedly took place,” Mr Trump added, echoing the original comments that launched the defamation lawsuit.”

Legal observers say Mr Trump’s continued disparagements against the writer could imperil his legal defence, especially since the most recent round of comments were made after he left the White House and returned to being a private citizen.

The former top federal prosecutor in Detroit, Michigan, Barbara McQuade, told Vice News that Ms Carroll “should amend her complaint to include an additional count based on the new statement”.

“Because Trump is no longer president, this statement was most certainly not made in the scope of his federal employment,” she added.

“Trump just blew up his defense against E Jean Carroll’s defamation case by calling her claims a ‘hoax’ on Truth Social,” Brian Karem tweeted on Tuesday. “Trump’s lawyers argued he was protected against defamation as POTUS - but Carroll can now amend her complaint since Trump is a private citizen.”