Trump’s New Social-Media Post About Rape Accuser ‘Inappropriate,’ Judge Says

Erik Larson
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(Bloomberg) -- The judge overseeing the trial of a New York author’s civil sexual assault suit against Donald Trump criticized the former president over a new post on social media disparaging his accuser and her lawyer, saying it “seems entirely inappropriate.”

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The post on Trump’s Truth Social platform calls E. Jean Carroll’s rape allegation a “made up SCAM” and accuses her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, of being a “political operative.” Kaplan complained about the post at the start of the trial’s second day on Wednesday, before the jury was brought in.

Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina said it was the first he had heard of the post.

“What you’re trying to do is get away from a statement by your client that seems entirely inappropriate,” said US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who previously advised both parties to avoid making inflammatory statements during the trial.

Trump’s remarks outside court have already led to warnings from the judge and special provisions for the trial.

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“I will ask him to refrain from any other posts about this case,” Tacopina said. “I will do the best I can do, your honor.”

“Well, I hope you’re more successful,” the judge responded. He said “we’re getting into an area” where Trump could face “a new potential source of liability.”

Carroll went public in 2019 with her claim that Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. She has been criticized by the former president before on social media — one of his posts from October is the basis of her defamation claim, which is also on trial.

Trump denies assaulting or defaming Carroll.

Trump’s social media posts became an issue in a separate, criminal case in New York state court in which he was indicted for falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to a porn star during the 2016 election campaign. At his arraignment, the judge overseeing the case advised him against further posts that could incite violence or put anyone’s safety at risk.

Trump has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case.

Read More: Trump Says Whatever He Wants, But a Judge Can Tell Him to Stop

The civil case is Carroll v. Trump, 22-cv-10016, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

--With assistance from Patricia Hurtado.

(Adds details, quotes and context starting in sixth paragraph.)

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