Staff Reports
Former President Trump has found himself in a tricky situation, forced to choose between attending the funeral of his wife’s mother or keeping up with a trial that seeks to determine damages against him. The judge overseeing the case, Lewis A. Kaplan, has made it clear that Trump can’t have it both ways, causing the former president to express his frustration and accuse the judge of being biased against him. Trump feels that he should be able to attend the trial, especially since he believes the judge is a “radical Trump hater.”
Trump Chose to Miss His Own Trial to Attend His Mother-in-Law’s Funeral — Since He Was Not Allowed by who he calls the 'Nasty' Judge to postpone the trial for one day. https://t.co/mr8u7ALfaR
— CJ4America2 (@GrammyC4Zone2) January 18, 2024
The funeral for Amalija Knavs, Melania Trump’s mother, was scheduled for Thursday at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, a location of familial significance given that Donald and Melania Trump were married at the same church in 2005. Despite the funeral arrangements, Trump has already been ordered to pay $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation, and his accuser, E. Jean Carroll, is seeking an additional $10 million in compensatory damages and “millions more in punitive damages.” Testimony for the trial was set to begin on Wednesday.
Carroll alleges that Trump raped her at a department store in Manhattan in 1996 and has sued him for defamation after he denied her accusation, claiming it’s all part of a “political witch hunt.” Trump maintains that he has “absolutely no idea who this woman is” and has condemned the trial as part of a broader conspiracy against him. The situation is undoubtedly a challenging one for Trump and has brought about significant tension between him and the judge overseeing the case.
As for the judge, Lewis A. Kaplan, Trump has not held back in expressing his disdain, calling him a “nasty man” and a “Trump-hating guy.” He has accused Kaplan of being abusive, rude, and clearly partial, adding that the judge suffers from a major case of “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Trump’s vocal criticism of the judge has only added fuel to the fire, creating a high-stakes drama that has captured the attention of many. It’s unclear how this conflict will unfold, but it’s evident that Trump is not going down without a fight.
