Former US President Donald Trump on Wednesday rejected E. Jean Caroll’s sexual assault conviction, claiming he never saw the journalist.
At a citizens’ rally organized by the American information channel CNN, the Republican ridiculed the whistleblower who accused him of sexual assault in a dressing room of a store in Manhattan, and ensured that the verdict was bought, without further developing the accusation. to work.
“I swear on my children that I have no idea who that woman is. It is a false and made-up story,” said the Republican, sentenced to pay a compensation of five million dollars (about 4.5 million euros) .
Trump called Caroll crazy as the audience erupted in applause and laughter.
Donald Trump answered questions from journalist Kailtan Collins and audience members on a variety of topics, including the invasion of the Capitol, the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden, the war in Ukraine and abortion rights.
Former President Donald Trump defended comments he once made about Access Hollywood at a New Hampshire town hall with CNN’s @kaitlancollins
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Trump City Hall Fact Check: The GOP’s 2024 Frontrunner Made Claims on a Wide Range of Issues https://t.co/Fxib27vgZY
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There were moments of tension between Donald Trump and Collins, with the former US leader calling the journalist an “unpleasant person”, met with applause from the audience in an instant.
The former president once again repeated allegations that the presidential election had been “rigged”.
On January 6, 2021, the day hundreds of Trump supporters invaded the Capitol – an incident that killed five people – the politician called it “a beautiful and incredible day”.
“It was the largest crowd I ever spoke to (…) they were proud and had love in their hearts,” he noted, underlining that if elected, he would have pardoned most of the presidential those who have been convicted.
“I am inclined to pardon many of them,” Trump said, referring to the more than 300 people convicted that day of various crimes, including assault, destruction of government property or sedition.
The Republican politician maintained a tense relationship with CNN during his time in power (2017-2021), repeatedly describing the television channel as a purveyor of “fake news”.
CNN’s decision to air the program was heavily criticized by some Democratic politicians and political analysts, with lawmaker Daniel Goldman writing on Twitter, “Why did CNN host a Trump rally?”
“I think it was a very irresponsible decision … that put a sexual assault victim at risk and it was embarrassing,” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview with MSNBC.
Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he plans to appeal a verdict Tuesday that found him guilty of sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll, who said he brought the case to court “to clear his name and get his life back.” before dedicating himself to condemning “all the women who have suffered”.
Trump has argued that the process was a “political farce” designed to jeopardize his bid for the White House in the 2024 election.
On Tuesday, Trump’s campaign team also alluded to the political nature of the process, implicitly acknowledging that it could affect Trump’s candidacy, which tops polls of Republican candidates.
Source: DN
