'Can't control yourself': Judge threatens to expel Trump from court during Jean Carroll defamation trial
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversees Donald Trump's defamation trial filed by writer E Jean Carroll, threatened to throw the former President out of the courtroom in New York, reported NBC News.
Attending the second day of the trial on Wednesday, January 17, after the judge denied his request to postpone it so he could attend Mother-in-law's funeral, the Republican frontrunner fumed during Carroll's testimony.
JUST IN: Judge threatens to kick Donald Trump out of courtroom during E. Jean Carroll's defamation trial against him in New York.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 17, 2024
Trump reportedly taunted the judge in response by saying: "I would love it!"
Judge: "Mr. Trump has the right to be present here. That right can be… pic.twitter.com/o2g28wWZVa
"Mr Trump has the right to be present here. That right can be forfeited and it can be forfeited if he is disruptive and if he disregards court orders," Kaplan said. "Mr Trump, I hope I don't have to consider excluding you from the trial, I understand you are very eager for me to do that," the judge added.
Throwing his hands up, Trump replied, "I would love it, I would love it."
"I know you would because you just can't control yourself in this circumstance, you just can't," Kaplan responded.
Donald Trump fails to control his anger during the trial
Following the landslide victory in the Iowa caucus and the upcoming New Hampshire primary, Trump and his attorney, Alina Habba, attended the defamation trial.
According to NBC News's live reporting, during Carroll's statement, Trump loudly claimed, "Carroll's statements are false" and "now she seems to have gotten her memory back."
At one instance, he slammed the table angrily when the judge told Habba to sit down, to which the White House hopeful said, "Nasty guy."
The dramatic courtroom scenes started when Carroll filed a defamation suit against the former President, accusing him of sexually assaulting her in 1996. Trump has denied the allegations, forcing the writer to go to court.
Internet reacts to the dramatic trial of Donald Trump
Responding to the events in the defamation trial against Trump, netizens on X pointed out that the judge is giving a "free press" for the GOP presidential hopeful.
One user said, "Trump is getting free press at the judges expense."
Trump is getting free press at the judges expense.
— Mike Leigh Torres (@MikeLeighTorres) January 17, 2024
Another user remarked, "It's certainly not every day that you see a defendant in a defamation trial openly taunting the judge and inviting the possibility of being removed from the courtroom."
It's certainly not every day that you see a defendant in a defamation trial openly taunting the judge and inviting the possibility of being removed from the courtroom. https://t.co/eGTVfVa2WZ
— IRANNA MAHOOR (@ImIranna) January 18, 2024
"Trump has a way to antagonize people who can decide his fate, but no one does it like him," read a third response.
Trump has a way to antagonize people who can decide his fate, but no one does it like him.
— Koka (@venkatesh_koka) January 17, 2024
A fourth user added, "I don't know if turning the conversation toward the judge was the best idea lol."
I don't know if turning the conversation toward the judge was the best idea lol.
— Bradley Productions (@productions86) January 17, 2024
One user quipped, "He is bored and having fun lol." Another added, "Would only make him even more popular!"
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.