Trump Misses E. Jean Carroll Case Deadline: 'He Has No Defense'

Former President Donald Trump has missed a deadline imposed by a judge in New York and will not testify as part of the civil lawsuit brought against him by writer E. Jean Carroll.

U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan had given Trump an extended deadline to testify in his own defense, giving the former president until 5 p.m. ET on Sunday to petition the court to reopen the case.

Carroll has accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s—an accusation the former president denies—and is suing him in New York for battery and defamation. As a result of missing the deadline, the defense will call no witnesses.

The missed deadline came despite the fact that Trump had indicated he might testify while visiting his golf club in Doonbeg in County Clare, Ireland, last week and that he was cutting his trip short for that purpose.

Newsweek reached out to Trump's lawyers via email for comment.

Social media users reacted to the news with speculation about how Trump not testifying could decide the outcome of the case and the views of the jury.

"Trump will not testify in E. Jean Carroll civil rape/defamation case," MSNBC legal analyst Jill Wine-Banks tweeted on Sunday. "He has no defense. None. Zero. How can the jury not find in favor of Carroll."

"Her evidence was strong, including her testimony, collaboration from those she told contemporaneously, testimony of other women he did the same to them, and his deposition statement that 'fortunately or unfortunately' 'stars' can kiss and grab women by the p*&$y and he's a 'star,'" Wine-Banks said.

Trial lawyer Michael Popok tweeted: "Shock of the day. As predicted, Trump confirmed tonight that he is NOT appearing in Court to 'confront' E Jean Carroll at all & Judge rejected his motion to take case away from the jury" and shared his own video where he offered his views.

Joyce Vance, a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, tweeted: "Judge Kaplan successfully called Trump's bluff in the E Jean Carroll case. After his golf course bluster about leaving Ireland early to appear in court & contest her 'fake' rape charges, Trump folded like a meek little mouse."

Adam Klasfeld, the managing editor of Law & Crime, also noted that no new filing had been made by the deadline.

"15 minutes later, still no docket entry on this," Klasfeld tweeted. "To quote the judge on this, 'that ship has irrevocably sailed.' See you for closing arguments on Monday."

Before the deadline on Sunday, MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin tweeted: "In 42 minutes, we'll know whether Trump ultimately listened to his lawyers or not."

After the deadline had passed, Rubin tweeted, "the court's 5 p.m. deadline passed without any motion by Donald J. Trump to testify in his own defense. And at 5:01, Joe Tacopina exhaled like no lawyer has ever exhaled." (Tacopina is an attorney representing Trump in the case.)