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Though these are civil proceedings and not a criminal trial, the stakes are still high for Trump, who is the leading candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2024 election. If Carroll is successful, it would be the first time he is held legally responsible for sexual assault, after more than two dozen such allegations have been made against him.
The 76-year-old has repeatedly denied the women’s claims, while branding them as not his type or not beautiful enough. He contends the allegations are politically motivated attempts to smear his reputation and deny him the White House.
Trump used similar language in denying Leeds’ allegations, telling supporters at a 2016 rally, “Believe me, she would not be my first choice”.
Leeds first went public with her account of the alleged aeroplane assault in the final weeks of Trump’s 2016 campaign, telling jurors that she decided to do so because she was “furious” about Trump’s claim at a debate that he had never touched women against their will.
Former magazine columnist Carroll, 79, alleges that Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store changing room in 1996, then attempted to “destroy her” by accusing her of lying when she went public years later.
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Her legal team on Tuesday called a longtime friend to back up claims she told others about the alleged attack at the time.
Lisa Birnbach testified that an emotional and hyperventilating Carroll telephoned her minutes after her encounter with Trump to report what occurred.
“E Jean said to me many times, ‘He pulled down my tights, he pulled down my tights,’ almost like she couldn’t believe it,” Birnbach testified about the call. She described how Carroll told her that Trump penetrated her.
She said she told Carroll that she had been raped and urged her to go to the police, but Carroll refused, leading them to argue before Birnbach agreed never to speak of it again.
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Birnbach testified that they did not discuss what was shared on that phone call until 2019 when Carroll went public with her allegations.
“I’m here because I’m her friend, and I want the world to know that she was telling the truth,” she said from the witness stand.
The trial continues.
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