Appeals Court Questions Delay in Trump's 'Presidential Immunity' Defense in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case

Court grapples with Trump's delayed 'absolute presidential immunity' claim in E. Jean Carroll case, scheduled for trial in January over comments he made in 2019.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is questioning why Donald Trump's attorneys did not claim absolute presidential immunity earlier in the defamation lawsuit brought by E. Jean Carroll, who accuses Trump of sexually abusing her.
The defamation case revolves around comments made by Trump in 2019, in response to Carroll's public allegations about abuse that allegedly occurred in a Manhattan store in the 1990s. Trump's defense asserts these comments are protected due to his presidential status.
Trump's attorney, Michael Madaio, faced questions from Circuit Judges Maria Araujo Kahn and Denny Chin about the timing of the immunity argument and argued that absolute presidential immunity is irrevocable, in an attempt to maintain it as a valid defense.
In a separate trial in spring, a Manhattan federal court jury awarded Carroll $5 million for sexual abuse and defamation, but dismissed her rape claim. This verdict resulted in the ongoing defamation lawsuit, which Carroll filed in 2019.
The January trial will focus on the damages in relation to the defamation claims first made in 2019. Carroll is reportedly seeking over $10 million. Trump's team is working to appeal the $5 million verdict from the earlier trial.