Judge Threatens to Remove Trump from Court During Defamation Trial

Judge Robert Kaplan threatened to remove Donald Trump from the court during his defamation trial against E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused him of rape.

Throughout Carroll’s testimony on Wednesday, Trump maintained a nonchalant attitude and whispered conversations with his lawyers. Concerned that the jury could overhear Trump’s comments, Carroll’s attorneys brought this issue to the judge’s attention during a break. Kaplan, then, requested Trump to “take special care to keep his voice down when conferring with counsel.”

However, it seemed that Trump did not heed the judge’s warning as Kaplan threatened to remove him from the courtroom.

“Mr. Trump has the right to be present here, but that right can be forfeited if he is disruptive and disregards court orders,” Kaplan stated. He also pointed out Trump’s lack of self-control and tendency to be disruptive.

In response, Trump sarcastically expressed his approval by saying, “I would love it.”

Despite these tensions, the trial proceeded with several intense exchanges between Kaplan and Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba.

The trial, which aims to determine additional damages Trump owes Carroll after being accused of sexual abuse and defamation in a previous trial last year, began on Tuesday. Simultaneously, another trial was being held against Carroll by the former president. Habba attempted to delay the trial to allow Trump to attend his mother-in-law Amalija Knavs’ funeral. However, Kaplan denied this request and emphasized that Trump was not required to be present in court.

The tensions between the judge and Habba escalated further when the defense attorney objected from her seat. Kaplan reprimanded her, stating, “When you speak in this courtroom, you’ll stand up.”

In a separate incident, Habba referenced a line of questioning that had been declared off-limits by Kaplan. The judge intervened, not permitting Habba to continue and insisting she sit back down.

Following these incidents, Trump criticized Judge Kaplan on his social media platform, accusing him of being hostile, abusive, and biased against his team.

Meanwhile, Habba submitted a motion requesting Judge Kaplan to recuse himself from the trial, alleging impartiality due to one of Carroll’s attorneys once serving as his law clerk. However, Kaplan denied this motion and denied Habba’s complaints about a sense of general hostility.

During Carroll’s testimony, she expressed the toll that coming forward with her allegations had taken on her life. She revealed the immense harassment and threats she faces daily since accusing Trump, including receiving hundreds of threatening messages.

Carroll also described the security measures she had taken, including hiring personal security and purchasing bullets for protection.

Despite the challenges, Carroll asserted her resilience in handling the situation as best she can.