Fact Check: Did Trump Slam Alina Habba on Truth Social After Losing Case?

All eyes are on Donald Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, with speculation that she may face disciplinary actions for her behavior during the former president's defamation trial.

In Trump's second civil defamation trial, a New York City jury on Friday ordered him to pay $83.3 million in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll for statements made in 2019 when he claimed she was lying about allegations that he sexually assaulted her inside a Manhattan department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump has maintained his innocence and continues to deny the sexual assault allegations.

Following the trial, a post seemingly from Trump was shared online, suggesting he felt that Habba had not been up to the job.

The Claim

A post on X by user @HeidiOCanada, posted on January 28, 2024, includes what appears to be a post on Donald Trump's Truth Social which says "Alina may have lost the case. She may not have the experience that was needed in this very high profile case, probably higher profile than she ever thought she would be involved in at this point. Maybe next time I'll choose a law firm and lawyer that has some more practical experience in high ticket litigation. But she stood her ground and she learned. Stay strong. MAGA!"

User @HeidiOCanada wrote alongside the post "Even Trump doesn't agree."

The Facts

Habba has received criticism and mockery since the end of the trial on Friday. Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman said her courtroom skills were a "comedy of bumbling errors," while former Trump lawyer Tim Parlatore said he'd "regret" having" her as an attorney.

Newsweek has contacted media representatives for Donald Trump via email for comment.

However the social media post, suggesting Trump had joined in criticism of Habba via Truth Social, is fake.

No such post was made or archived from Trump on Truth Social, the social media network he created after being banned from Twitter, now X, in 2021.

While it has the hallmarks of a Trump post, mimicking the language and tone of his other posts, there is no evidence that the former president published this.

There are some clear tells that the post is inauthentic: there is no link to the original post, the post is undated, and the comments have not been reported by media either.

Following the verdict on Friday, Trump responded on Truth Social, calling the decision a "witch hunt."

"Absolutely ridiculous! I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party. Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!" he wrote.

The Ruling

False.

The supposed Donald Trump Truth Social post criticizing Alina Habba is fake. It is not on his social media page and has not been archived. The post looked inauthentic too with no direct link to Trump's comment, no date, and no wider reporting of these comments despite interest in the defamation trial.

FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team