Trump testifies in E Jean Carroll defamation trial

Hours after firing off dozens of Truth Social posts attacking E Jean Carroll, Donald Trump appeared on the witness stand in a trial that will determine how much he owes her for defamation.

On his way to federal court in Manhattan on Thursday, the former president – before labelling the central defamation claims against him “false” while he was on the witness stand – smeared the case against him as a “witch hunt conceived and funded by political operatives” and revived a baseless conspiracy theory that the lawsuits and criminal indictments against him are “election interference” to prevent his second presidency.

In a series of late-night posts, he blasted the case as a “hoax” and repeated potentially defamatory statements about Ms Carroll that have previously been used against him. As he arrived in court, his account declared that he is “innocent” and shared poll numbers and favourable coverage for his campaign, as well as an all-caps statement demanding immunity from prosecution in an unrelated case.

A New York City jury in the civil trial will determine monetary damages owed to Ms Carroll, a former Elle magazine writer whom Mr Trump repeatedly defamed by claiming he never met her, labelling her a liar and denying that he sexually assaulted her. Last year, a jury found himliable for sexual abuse and defamation, and Ms Carroll is seeking an additional $10m in compensatory damages and punitive damages for additional claims.

The facts in the case have already been established, and Mr Trump is barred from disputing that he sexually abused her, leaving a trial focused exclusively on damages owed.

Before he was called to the witness stand, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan instructed the former president’s attorney that she can