Trump says he’ll cut short short Ireland trip to ‘confront’ rape accuser E. Jean Carroll — but his lawyer denies claim

Former President Donald Trump Thursday said he would cut short a business trip to Ireland to “confront” rape accuser E. Jean Carroll, but his own defense lawyer promptly shot down the claim.

“I have to go back... and confront this woman,” Trump told reporters in western Ireland as he toured one of his golf resorts.

“I have to leave early,” he added. “I don’t have to but I choose to.”

He added that he does not even know Carroll and derided her claim of being raped in a Manhattan department store dressing room three decades ago.

“I was falsely accused by this woman. I have no idea who she is. It’s ridiculous,” he said.

Despite the claim, Trump’s own defense lawyer Joe Tacopina confirmed the ex-president will not attend the civil rape trial, which is expected to wrap up early next week.

“No,” Tacopina responded when asked if Trump would appear in person.

The bogus claim about making an 11th-hour cameo appearance wasn’t the only headache Trump gave his defense team as he tooled around in a golf cart in drizzly County Clare, Ireland, more than 3,000 miles east of the lower Manhattan court house.

Trump also lashed out at federal District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan, calling the jurist presiding over the case a “rough judge” and noting he was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton.

“He doesn’t like me very much,” Trump said. “It’s a disgrace but we have to do it. It’s a part of life.”

Trump already faced contentious questions from Irish reporters Wednesday about why he had elected to go golfing in the Emerald Isle instead of attending his bombshell rape case.

“Because we have a longstanding agreement to come here. We’ve had a tremendous reception, a beautiful reception. The people of Ireland have been great. And we have [had] tremendous success,” Trump said in the footage shared by Virgin Media.

“But does it not show disrespect to the court?” one reporter asked in response, prompting Trump to walk away.

Hours earlier, Trump’s lawyers informed Kaplan that they would not be putting on a defense case.

Jurors have heard testimony from Carroll and two other women accusing Trump of sexually assaulting them in random attacks and disparaging their looks when they came forward. Trump denies all wrongdoing.

While he has been missing in action, the panel has seen Trump in footage of media interviews and campaign rallies.

On Thursday, jurors heard Trump’s 40-minute deposition in the case. He confused a photo of Carroll for his ex-wife Marla Maples in the deposition, a slip-up that Carroll’s lawyers claim puts the lie to his claim that the writer wasn’t “his type.”

Late Wednesday, Carroll’s lawyers played the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, in which Trump bragged about molesting women.