A video recording of former President Donald Trump being questioned about the rape allegations against him was made public for the first time Friday, providing a glimpse of the Republican's emphatic, often colourful denials.
Jurors got to see the video of Trump's October 2022 deposition over the past few days at the trial over a lawsuit filed against him by advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. Written transcripts of Trump's testimony had also previously been made public, but not the recording itself.
The video was made available Friday to news organisations covering the proceedings.
Carroll is "not my type"
The video shows Trump answering questions in his trademark navy suit and a bright blue tie. He called Carroll's claim that he raped her in a luxury Manhattan department store "a false, disgusting lie."
"It's a disgrace. Frankly it's a disgrace that something like this can be brought," Trump said.
Trump reiterated his assertion that Carroll is "not my type," but also mistook her for his second wife, Marla Maples when shown a photo of him meeting Carroll and her then-husband at an event in the 1980s.
Trump was also asked about the infamous "Access Hollywood" video in which Trump bragged about grabbing women's genitals. He said, as he has previously, that he was engaging in "locker room talk." Trump justified his comments about famous people being able to have their way with women, saying: "Historically that's true with stars."
Trump had sexually assaulted me in dressing room': Columnist Carroll
According to Columnist E Jean Carroll, she met Trump while shopping around three decades ago. The 79-year-old columnist alleged Trump, at first, sought her advice in shopping for lingerie for another woman and added billionaire Trump then lunged at her, pinned her against a wall and assaulted her in a changing room.
Carroll’s suit is a civil case, meaning that no matter the outcome, Trump isn’t in danger of going to jail. She is seeking unspecified monetary damages and a retraction of Trump's statements that she alleges were defamatory.
(With inputs from AP)
