Donald Trump Gripes Over Trial Delay His Attorney Asked For

Former President Donald Trump appeared agitated over the delay in his defamation trial brought by E. Jean Carroll, despite the fact that his attorney requested the postponement.

Trump arrived in Manhattan court on Monday with plans to testify in the civil suit where a jury is deciding how much the former president owes Carroll for defaming her in 2019—the year that the former magazine columnist first accused Trump of raping her in a New York City department store in the mid-1990s.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan alerted both Trump and Carroll after they had entered the courtroom, however, that a juror reported feeling flu-like symptoms in the morning and would not be able to make it to trial, bringing the jury down to eight. Kaplan offered to continue with proceedings with the smaller pool, but Trump's defense attorney Alina Habba asked for an adjournment. Carroll's team had told the judge that proceeding with eight jurors would be fine.

Despite the postponement request coming from his own team, Trump grumbled about the delay in a post to Truth Social Monday morning, stating that the trial was interfering with his 2024 reelection campaign.

"Despite the fact that I was there, on time and on schedule, it was just learned that one of the jurors is, unfortunately, not feeling well, and for that reason, today's session of the trial, having to do with a woman I know absolutely nothing about, has therefore been cancelled with a new date to be determined," the former president wrote.

"Of course, all of these various 'Biden Political Opponent' trials just happen to be starting, with great purpose, in the middle of what will be the most important Election in the History of our Country," he continued. "They could have all began years ago, or years after, but, certainly not DURING the Election. In actuality, they should have never been brought at all, because I have done nothing wrong."

"It is what it is, and I will do what I have to do, all I ask for is fair Judges and Juries, and I will win every one of them," he concluded.

Newsweek reached out to Habba's office via email for comment on Monday.

The former president, who is facing a plethora of legal challenges, has repeatedly claimed that he is innocent of all charges and accusations leveled against him, including from Carroll. Trump has also said that the indictments and lawsuits are intended to upset his 2024 reelection campaign, in which he is leading the Republican primary race.

In May, a jury awarded Carroll $5 million in total damages after finding Trump liable for sexual assault and for defaming the former columnist on several occasions. Monday's trial was set to determine how much, if anything, Trump owes Carroll in damages for stating in 2019 that she was not his "type" and dismissing Carroll's rape accusations as false.

Kaplan, who is presiding over both cases, has said that Trump's previous defamation ruling will limit what he can say on the stand in the second trial, meaning the former president will be prohibited from testifying that Carroll fabricated the allegations.

It is unclear when the defamation trial will resume. According to a report from The New York Times, Carroll's lawyer, Robert Kaplan, asked the judge to begin proceedings on Tuesday, adding, "I'd like to get this trial over with."

Habba, however, asked for the trial to be delayed until Wednesday, noting that Trump would be unable to testify in the case until then due to the New Hampshire presidential primary on Tuesday evening. Judge Kaplan told Habba that "circumstances may result in your getting what you ask for," according to the Times report.

Habba had also told the judge on Monday that she was feeling ill and that her parents, whom she had seen a few days prior at dinner, had been exposed to COVID-19. The Trump attorney said that she tested negative and was reported to be sitting near the former president in the courtroom without a mask.