Trump news – live: Judge gives Trump until Sunday to decide to testify as E Jean Carroll’s attorneys rest case

E Jean Carroll’s lawyers have rest their case in the civil rape and defamation trial of former president Donald Trump.

Afterwards Judge Lewis Kaplan left the door open for Mr Trump to make a last-minute decision to testify, giving his defence team until 5pm on Sunday to confirm whether the former president would appear, Law & Crime reported.

Earlier on Thursday Mr Trump said he was cutting short his trip to Ireland to “confront” Ms Carroll after his defence team suffered a series of setbacks at the trial in New York.

Speaking to reporters while golfing at his Doonbeg resort, Mr Trump said he would “probably attend” the trial, which is hearing its final day of evidence before closing arguments next week.

“I was falsely accused by this woman, I have no idea who she is — it’s ridiculous,” he said.

The comments came as Mr Trump’s deposition was played on day seven of his trial in federal court in Manhattan, where he is being sued for the allegedly sexual assault at the luxury Bergdorf Goodman department store in 1996.

“There was no anything. I know nothing about this nut job,” Mr Trump said in the deposition.

Key points

• Trump says he will return to New York to ‘confront’ writer

• Expert estimates defamation damages of between $368,000 and $2.8m

• Second Trump accuser shares harrowing experience from Mar-a-Lago

• Trump calls E Jean Carroll a ‘nutjob’ in deposition

• Judge gives Trump until 5pm on Sunday to decide to testify

Trumpworld insider is cooperating in Mar-a-Lago classified documents probe

10:40 , Rachel Sharp

A Trumpworld insider has begun cooperating with the investigation into the classified papers found at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, it has been revealed.

Sources told The New York Times that the DOJ has found an “insider witness” who worked for the former president at his Florida estate who is now speaking to investigators as part of the probe.

The Special Counsel’s prosecutors are trying to establish if Mr Trump attempted to hide some documents even after the Justice Department issues a subpoena for their return last May, reported the newspaper.

The insider, whose identity has not been released, reportedly provided investigators with a picture of the Mar-a-Lago storage room where the documents were kept.

The newspaper says it is not known what else information the witness may have provided, or how long they may have been cooperating with the Justice Department.

ICYMI: E Jean Carroll suffered panic attack watching The Apprentice and now sleeps with loaded gun

10:00 , Bevan Hurley

E Jean Carroll suffered a panic attack that left her unable to talk the first time she watched The Apprentice, a jury in Donald Trump’s civil rape and defamation trial was told on Wednesday.

Dr Leslie Lebowitz, a clinical psychologist hired by Ms Carroll’s legal team, testified that the former Elle columnist had gone to pitch a new TV show with a friend at an unnamed network when an executive showed them a clip from the Trump-hosted reality series.

“She became so flooded with memories, with a sense of panic, that she lost her capacity to speak,” Dr Lebowitz said. “The person she was with had to pitch the show.”

E Jean Carroll suffered panic attack after watching The Apprentice for the first time

What are the allegations in E Jean Carroll’s rape case against Donald Trump?

09:00 , Bevan Hurley

A chance meeting, an alleged violent sexual assault, and a ‘colossal struggle’. A jury is deciding whether the businessman-turned-politician raped the columnist in the mid-1990s.

Full story below.

What are the allegations at the centre of E Jean Carroll’s rape case against Trump?

Watch: Trump claims he would end war in Ukraine in one day: ‘It would be easy’

08:00 , Bevan Hurley

Donald Trump has claimed he would end the Russia-Ukraine war in “one day” if he was president.

The former president described the situation as “a disaster” as he spoke to GB News in an interview aired on Wednesday evening (3 May).

“If I were president, and I say this, I will end that war in one day, it would take 24 hours,” Mr Trump said.

“I know [Volodymyr] Zelensky well, I know [Vladimir] Putin well. I would get that ended in a period of 24 hours. It would be easy, that deal would be easy.”

Trump claims he would end war in Ukraine in one day: ‘It would be easy’

This week could put Joe Biden’s re-election pitch in a bind

07:00 , Bevan Hurley

Eric Garcia writes:

“Last week, President Joe Biden announced his re-election campaign largely on the premise that he wanted to “finish the job” he started when he took office duing a pandemic and the ensuing economic shockwaves.

Since then, he’s tried to project a message to the American public that he shepherded the nation out of the worst of the pandemic, even as people continue to die from Covid-19, and that he has led the country to a new era of economic prosperity, despite inflation sticking in the front of people’s minds.

Mr Biden is clearly hoping to create a Democratic mirror image of Ronald Reagan’s 1984 “Morning in America” re-election campaign, when the incumbent campaigned on the nation exiting the malaise of the 1970s and entering an era of renewal and optimism.

But this week could easily throw a wrench into Mr Biden’s efforts to make that case.”

This week could put Joe Biden’s re-election pitch in a bind

Tucker Carlson ‘plotting to host GOP debate’ despite being axed by Fox

06:00 , Bevan Hurley

Tucker Carlson is reportedly angling to host an independent primary debate and has been in touch with former President Donald Trump about the idea.

Abe Asher has the story.

How a chance department store meeting led to a court case decades later

05:00 , Bevan Hurley

As E Jean Carroll’s attorneys rest their case, Andrew Feinberg has a comprehensive recap on how we got to this point.

Trump on trial: What to know about the E Jean Carroll rape case

Watch: Donald Trump says Joe Biden is ‘disrespectful’ for missing coronation

04:00 , Bevan Hurley

Donald Trump has labelled Joe Biden “disrespectful” for missing the coronation of King Charles III.

The former president suggested Mr Biden is not physically up to making the trip across from the US.

“I don’t think he can do it physically, I think it’s hard for him,” Mr Trump said.

“But, certainly, he should be here as a representative of our country. I was surprised when I heard he wasn’t coming... I think it’s very disrespectful not to be here.”

Donald Trump says Joe Biden is ‘disrespectful’ for missing coronation

Ivanka Trump refusing to hand over documents in Trump Organization fraud case, attorney general claims

03:00 , Bevan Hurley

The attorney general of the state of New York has accused Ivanka Trumpof refusing to turn over documents in a timely fashion as the deadline for producing evidence as required by the discovery phase of the Trump Organization’s civil fraud lawsuit nears.

Letitia James’ team made the accusation in a court filing dated 25 April, first reported by Forbes, in the latest development in the Trump family’s battle with the state of New York to occur since the former first daughter dropped her old legal team, including attorneys who jointly representer her and her brothers.

John Bowden has the story.

Attorney general claims Ivanka Trump is refusing to turn over documents

This week could put Joe Biden’s re-election pitch in a bind

02:29 , Graeme Massie

Eric Garcia writes:

“Last week, President Joe Biden announced his re-election campaign largely on the premise that he wanted to “finish the job” he started when he took office duing a pandemic and the ensuing economic shockwaves.

Since then, he’s tried to project a message to the American public that he shepherded the nation out of the worst of the pandemic, even as people continue to die from Covid-19, and that he has led the country to a new era of economic prosperity, despite inflation sticking in the front of people’s minds.

Mr Biden is clearly hoping to create a Democratic mirror image of Ronald Reagan’s 1984 “Morning in America” re-election campaign, when the incumbent campaigned on the nation exiting the malaise of the 1970s and entering an era of renewal and optimism.

But this week could easily throw a wrench into Mr Biden’s efforts to make that case.”

This week could put Joe Biden’s re-election pitch in a bind

Mar-a-Lago insider cooperating with Special Counsel probe into Trump’s hoard of secret documents, report says

02:01 , Graeme Massie

Prosecutors reportedly working to establish if former president attempted to hide documents at Florida home.

Mar-a-Lago insider cooperating with probe into Trump secret documents, report says

After landmark January 6 convictions, Proud Boys turn attention to attacking LGBTQ+ people

01:30 , Bevan Hurley

Thursday’s seditious conspiracy convictions, which join the successful January 6 prosecutions of other far-right militia leaders from the Oath Keepers, may be a major win for the DoJ, but the Proud Boys remain a violent and influential force in American political life.

The January 6 prosecutions have decapitated the group, but its tactics are now morphing and going after a new target on a local level: LGBTQ+ people. The only thing that remains the same is the synergy, somewhere between official and unofficial, between the right-wing vigilantes and the ideals of the mainstream Republican party.

After landmark January 6 convictions, Proud Boys turn to attacking LGBTQ+ people

ICYMI: Trump accuser claims he groped her while pregnant Melania changed on their first wedding anniversary

01:00 , Bevan Hurley

Natasha Stoynoff told a jury in the E Jean Carroll civil trial on Wednesday that she was “flustered and in shock” after Donald Trump allegedly forcibly kissed and groped her.

Second accuser says Trump sexually assaulted her on his first wedding anniversary

Fox News has spent just 13 minutes covering E Jean Carroll v Trump civil rape trial

Friday 5 May 2023 00:30 , Bevan Hurley

Fox News spent just 13 minutes covering the E Jean Carroll civil rape trial, compared to several hours of coverage by CNN and MSNBC.

Ms Carroll, a former Elle advice columnist, claims that Mr Trump raped her in a fitting room at a Bergdorf Goodman in the mid-1990s. She sued him in 2019 and in 2022 after she published her allegation in an excerpt from her book What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal in New York magazine.

Fox News barely mentioned the trial between 24 April and 2 May, only airing 13 minutes about the trial compared to four hours and 50 minutes on CNN and eight hours and 26 minutes on MSNBC, according to Media Matters For America.

Gustaf Kilander has the details.

Fox News has spent just 13 minutes covering E Jean Carroll v Trump civil rape trial

‘He’s REALLY not her type’

Friday 5 May 2023 00:00 , Bevan Hurley

MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin with a moment of levity from the Donald Trump civil rape and defamation trial.

Ms Rubin points out that E Jean Carroll’s lead attorney Roberta Kaplan was unlikely to be too concerned by Donald Trump’s remarks during his deposition.

“This trial has been heavy. But hearing Trump tell Robbie Kaplan, Carroll’s lead lawyer, *she* wasn’t his type either was unexpectedly funny. Why? Kaplan is one of the most prominent, publicly gay women in New York. Suffice it to say he’s REALLY not her type.”

Proud Boys leader and three members guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan 6 attack

Thursday 4 May 2023 23:30 , Bevan Hurley

The former leader of the far-right gang the Proud Boys and three of its members were found guilty of treason-related charges in connection with violent riots to upend an American election on January 6.

Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the neo-fascist group, and three lieutenants who stormed the halls of Congress on 6 January, 2021, were convicted of seditious conspiracy on 4 May for their roles in the attack. A jury did not reach a verdict for a fifth member of the group who was on trial.

The verdict against Tarrio on 4 May marks the first successful seditious conspiracy charge against a January 6 defendant who wasn’t at the Capitol that day. Ten others connected to the January 6 attack, including the leader of the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers, have either been convicted by a jury or pleaded guilty on charges of seditious conspiracy in the aftermath of the riots.

Alex Woodward reports.

Proud Boys leader and three members guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan 6 attack

Trump-backed Jan 6 choir includes rioters charged with attacking police

Thursday 4 May 2023 23:00 , Bevan Hurley

Multiple inmates who recorded a song with former president Donald Trump have been charged with assaulting police officers during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, The Washington Post reported.

The group recorded a song entitled “Justice for All” wherein they sing “The Star Spangled Banner” while Mr Trump recites the Pledge of Allegiance.

A recent video showed a group of inmates singing the US national anthem around 9pm, which has become a routine for the accused rioters.

The Post identified five of the 15 men in the video and four of them have been charged with assaulting police officers with weapons such as a crowbar, sticks and chemical spray.

One of the attacked officers included Brian Sicknick, who died the day after the riot at the Capitol.

Eric Garcia has the full story.

Trump-backed Jan 6 choir includes rioters charged with attacking police

Judge gives Trump until 5pm on Sunday to decide to testify

Thursday 4 May 2023 22:29 , Bevan Hurley

Judge Lewis Kaplan left the door open for Donald Trump to testify at his rape and defamation civil trial in New York.

Mr Trump’s legal team have until 5pm on Sunday to confirm whether Mr Trump will appear, after he told reporters in Ireland he was cutting short his trip to “confront” E Jean Carroll.

After Joe Tacopina said he was resting the defence case, Judge Kaplan said he would give Mr Trump the chance to apply to reopen the case for the purpose of testifying, according to Law & Crime.

E Jean Carroll rests case, judge sends jury home until Monday morning

Thursday 4 May 2023 22:11 , Bevan Hurley

After seven days of testimony, E Jean Carroll’s attorneys have rest their case in the Donald Trump civil battery and defamation trial.

Mr Trump’s attorneys have also confirmed they will call no witnesses in the jury trial.

Judge Lewis Kaplan appeared to leave the door ajar for Mr Trump to testify in the case, according to Law & Crime.

However after a conversation between defence attorney Joe Tacopina and Judge Kaplan, the lawyer confirmed that Mr Trump had waived his right to testify.

Mr Tacopina said he spoke to the former president a few minutes before entering court on Thursday morning.

Judge Kaplan has excused the jury until Monday morning.

Ivanka Trump refusing to hand over documents in Trump Organization fraud case, attorney general claims

Thursday 4 May 2023 22:00 , Bevan Hurley

The attorney general of the state of New York has accused Ivanka Trumpof refusing to turn over documents in a timely fashion as the deadline for producing evidence as required by the discovery phase of the Trump Organization’s civil fraud lawsuit nears.

Letitia James’ team made the accusation in a court filing dated 25 April, first reported by Forbes, in the latest development in the Trump family’s battle with the state of New York to occur since the former first daughter dropped her old legal team, including attorneys who jointly representer her and her brothers.

John Bowden has the story.

Attorney general claims Ivanka Trump is refusing to turn over documents

Final witness concludes her testimony

Thursday 4 May 2023 21:40 , Bevan Hurley

Former Elle editor in chief Roberta Myers has finished testifying after a brief stay in the witness box.

She testified that E Jean Carroll had not spoken to her about the alleged rape by Donald Trump, according to Law & Crime.

The lawyers are now speaking to Judge Kaplan at sidebar.

Former Elle editor in chief Roberta Myers takes the stand

Thursday 4 May 2023 21:16 , Bevan Hurley

The final witness in the Donald Trump civil trial has taken the stand.

Roberta Myers, the former Elle editor in chief, is testifying in support of Ms Carroll, who wrote an advice column for the magazine for 27 years.

Proud Boys leader and three members guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan 6 attack

Thursday 4 May 2023 20:50 , Bevan Hurley

The former leader of the far-right gang the Proud Boys and three of its members were found guilty of treason-related charges in connection with violent riots to upend an American election on January 6.

Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the neo-fascist group, and three lieutenants who stormed the halls of Congress on 6 January, 2021, were convicted of seditious conspiracy on 4 May for their roles in the attack. A jury did not reach a verdict for a fifth member of the group who was on trial.

The verdict against Tarrio on 4 May marks the first successful seditious conspiracy charge against a January 6 defendant who wasn’t at the Capitol that day. Ten others connected to the January 6 attack, including the leader of the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers, have either been convicted by a jury or pleaded guilty on charges of seditious conspiracy in the aftermath of the riots.

Alex Woodward reports.

Proud Boys leader and three members guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan 6 attack

Expert estimates defamation damages of between $368,000 and $2.8m

Thursday 4 May 2023 20:30 , Bevan Hurley

Ashlee Humphreys tells the jury that E Jean Carroll could have suffered damages to her character of between $368,000 and $2.8m from Donald Trump’s attacks, Law & Crime reports.

The was based on an analysis of the millions of page views on news sites and social media created by Mr Trump’s October 2012 statement where he called Ms Carroll a “con job”.

This is the first time Ms Carroll’s attorneys have offered a monetary damages amount for the jury to consider.

Should the jury find Mr Trump liable, they could also impose punitive damages against him.

Defamation expert testifies on reach of Trump’s statements

Thursday 4 May 2023 20:08 , Bevan Hurley

Professor Humphreys says that she conducted an analysis of the reach of Donald Trump’s allegedly defamatory statements attacking E Jean Carroll’s rape claims.

She tells the jury that she looked at how many page impressions Mr Trump’s comments received on mainstream news sites and social media, according to Law & Crime.

Ms Carroll sued the former president over a Truth Social post he made in October 2022, in which he called her a “complete con job”.

More here on the allegations at the centre of the trial.

What are the allegations at the centre of E Jean Carroll’s rape case against Trump?

Defamation expert sworn in on the witness stand

Thursday 4 May 2023 19:53 , Bevan Hurley

The next witness is Ashlee Humphreys, a professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

Ms Humphreys is an expert on defamation who will testify about the damages that a jury could award to E Jean Carroll for Mr Trump’s statements about the rape allegation.

Carol Martin quizzed on text messages to daughter

Thursday 4 May 2023 19:38 , Bevan Hurley

The afternoon session is underway, and cross examination of E Jean Carroll’s friend Carol Martin has concluded.

On re-direct questioning from Ms Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan, Ms Martin is asked about text messages she sent to her daughter in which she ‘vented’ about the case, according to Law & Crime.

Ed Sheeran wins Marvin Gaye plagiarism case

Thursday 4 May 2023 19:29 , Bevan Hurley

A jury on Thursday ruled that Ed Sheeran’s hit song Thinking Out Loud did not copy Marvin Gaye’s soul classic Let’s Get It On.

The plagiarism case was being heard in the same New York federal courthouse where E Jean Carroll is suing Donald Trump for battery and defamation.

Tom Murray has the details.

Ed Sheeran wins Marvin Gaye ‘Thinking Out Loud’ plagiarism case

‘He’s REALLY not her type’

Thursday 4 May 2023 19:23 , Bevan Hurley

MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin with a moment of levity from the Donald Trump civil rape and defamation trial.

Ms Rubin points out that E Jean Carroll’s lead attorney Roberta Kaplan was unlikely to be too concerned by Donald Trump’s remarks during his deposition.

“This trial has been heavy. But hearing Trump tell Robbie Kaplan, Carroll’s lead lawyer, *she* wasn’t his type either was unexpectedly funny. Why? Kaplan is one of the most prominent, publicly gay women in New York. Suffice it to say he’s REALLY not her type.”

Fox News has spent just 13 minutes covering E Jean Carroll v Trump civil rape trial

Thursday 4 May 2023 19:00 , Bevan Hurley

Fox News spent just 13 minutes covering the E Jean Carroll civil rape trial, compared to several hours of coverage by CNN and MSNBC.

Ms Carroll, a former Elle advice columnist, claims that Mr Trump raped her in a fitting room at a Bergdorf Goodman in the mid-1990s. She sued him in 2019 and in 2022 after she published her allegation in an excerpt from her book What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal in New York magazine.

Fox News barely mentioned the trial between 24 April and 2 May, only airing 13 minutes about the trial compared to four hours and 50 minutes on CNN and eight hours and 26 minutes on MSNBC, according to Media Matters For America.

Gustaf Kilander has the details.

Fox News has spent just 13 minutes covering E Jean Carroll v Trump civil rape trial

Trump calls E Jean Carroll a ‘nutjob'

Thursday 4 May 2023 18:40 , Bevan Hurley

Jurors heard former President Donald Trump call his accuser E Jean Carroll a “nut job” and “mentally sick” in a video recording that was shown Thursday during the trial of her federal lawsuit.

The jury was played excerpts from Mr Trump’s videotaped deposition on Thursday where he repeated prior comments that Ms Carroll was “not my type”.

“I think she’s sick, mentally sick,” Mr Trump said calmly during the deposition, which was taken in October.

He added: “She said that I did something to her that never took place. There was no anything. I know nothing about this nut job.”

Full story below.

Trump calls accuser a 'nut job' in recording played for jury

Court breaks for lunch

Thursday 4 May 2023 18:18 , Bevan Hurley

The court is on recess, and Carol Martin’s cross examination will continue after 2pm.

E Jean Carroll’s attorneys have one more witness to call this afternoon, a defamation expert.

Mr Trump’s team has said they do not plan to call any witnesses.

Trump-backed Jan 6 choir includes rioters charged with attacking police

Thursday 4 May 2023 18:00 , Bevan Hurley

Multiple inmates who recorded a song with former president Donald Trump have been charged with assaulting police officers during the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, The Washington Post reported.

The group recorded a song entitled “Justice for All” wherein they sing “The Star Spangled Banner” while Mr Trump recites the Pledge of Allegiance.

A recent video showed a group of inmates singing the US national anthem around 9pm, which has become a routine for the accused rioters.

The Post identified five of the 15 men in the video and four of them have been charged with assaulting police officers with weapons such as a crowbar, sticks and chemical spray.

One of the attacked officers included Brian Sicknick, who died the day after the riot at the Capitol.

Eric Garcia has the full story.

Trump-backed Jan 6 choir includes rioters charged with attacking police