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Former president Donald Trump has said he is cutting short his trip to Ireland and will "probably" attend his ongoing civil rape trial in New York.
The Republican presidential front runner is accused of raping writer E. Jean Carroll in the dressing room of a New York department store, during the mid-1990s. Trump has strongly denied the allegation which he described as a "hoax," after Carroll first went public with her claim in 2019.
Trump was speaking to reporters on Thursday from a golf course he owns in Doonbeg in Ireland.
He commented: "I will probably attend (the trial) and I think it's a disgrace that it's allowed to happen, false accusations against a rich guy, or in my case against a famous, rich and political person.
"I have to go back for a woman that made a false accusation about me, and I have a judge who is extremely hostile."
Trump added: "Because of that I have to leave Ireland and I have to leave Scotland where I have great properties, I have to leave early. I don't have to but I choose to."
The trial, which has run for six days so far, is expected to extend into next week. As it's a civil case Trump won't go to jail if ruled against, but could have to make a sizable financial settlement.
On Tuesday Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told presiding Judge Lewis Kaplan that the former president wouldn't be attending in person. Newsweek has reached out to Trump via the contact form on his official website, asking what prompted his change of heart, and whether he plans to testify in person.
Carroll claims she was raped by Trump at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in late 1995 or early 1996 after agreeing to help him choose a gift for "a girl."
According to her account, Trump "maneuvered" her into a dressing room, then "jammed his hand under her coatdress and pulled down her tights."
The lawsuit claims Trump then "pushed his fingers around Carroll's genitals and forced his penis inside of her."
After the allegation was first made in 2019 Trump claimed he had "never met this person in my life." Referring to Carroll in a social media post, he later added: "While I am not suppose to say it, I will. This woman is not my type!"
Carroll is also suing Trump for defamation over the comment he made in response to her claim.
On Wednesday the New York court heard from journalist Natasha Stoynoff, who alleges Trump sexually assaulted her at his Mar-a-Lago private members club in December 2005.
Describing her interaction with Trump, after going to interview him for People magazine, she said: "I hear the door shut behind me. And by the time I turn around, he has his hands on my shoulders and he pushes me against the wall and starts kissing me, holding me against the wall.
"He was against me and just holding my shoulders back. I didn't say words. I couldn't. I tried. I mean, I was just flustered and sort of shocked and I—no words came out of me. I tried, though. I remember just sort of mumbling."
According to Stoynoff the New York business tycoon only relented when a butler entered the room. Trump has previously denied assaulting Stoynoff.
Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct, up to and including rape, by nearly two dozen women, though he denies any wrongdoing and thus far none of the allegations have been proven in court.
About the writer
James Bickerton is a Newsweek U.S. News reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is on covering news and politics ... Read more