Former President Donald Trump invited reporters and TV crews to Trump Tower in New York City on Friday under the pretense that he would answer questions after appearing in a Manhattan court.
But his latest attempt to merge his courtroom drama and his 2024 campaign was an almost hourlong monologue in which he criticized his treatment by the justice system and raised his own questions regarding whether he would be treated fairly during next week’s debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Here are four takeaways from Trump’s press conference:
1. Trump criticized E Jean Carroll and Jessica Leeds
After Trump voluntarily appeared in court Friday for the oral arguments of his appeal of the $5 million verdict in the civil sexual abuse and defamation case brought against him by columnist E. Jean Carroll, the former president criticized a character witness, Jessica Leeds, who alleges she was similarly assaulted by Trump.
“I know you’re going to say it’s a terrible thing to say, but it couldn’t have happened, it didn’t happen, and she would not have been the chosen one,” he said. “Now, I assume she is going to sue me for defamation.”
Leeds claims Trump abused her on an airplane in the 1980s and testified during the Carroll trial to help establish a pattern of behavior by the former president.
After not remembering the name of another accuser, Natasha Stoynoff, Trump downplayed the possibility he would have abused Carroll in the 1990s because he “would’ve had no interest in meeting her in any way, shape, or form.”
Even if that were not the case, Trump remained adamant he had never met Carroll, dismissing a group photo that included the pair by saying that he does not think “that counts.”
“She made up a story, fabricated 100%, that I attacked her at Bergdorf Goodman,” he said. “Her favorite show is Law & Order. And there’s almost an exact story as her story in Law & Order about being attacked in the dressing room of a department store.”
Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, when asked by the New York Times about the possibility of a new defamation lawsuit, said, “I’ve said before, and I’ll say it again: all options are on the table.”
E Jean Carroll lawyer Roberta Kaplan on the possibility of filing new defamation claims: “I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: all options are on the table.”
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 6, 2024
2. Trump also criticized his own legal team — and the justice system
Standing in front of his lawyers, Trump did not hide his disappointment with their performance, particularly with the decision for him not to appear in court during his first trial with Carroll. Trump did appear in court during his second trial with the columnist.
“I’m disappointed in my legal talent, I’ll be honest with you,” he said.
Moments later, Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, switched places with the former president at the microphones to encourage the public to vote for him in November.
“You must vote Donald Trump back in because as an attorney, as a woman, as a mother, the future of this country depends on it,” she said. “The DOJ is supposed to help our country, not attack us because you cannot win in the polls.”
Although he did criticize last month’s job numbers, Trump spent more time scrutinizing the justice system.
“This is the weaponization of justice at a level that nobody’s ever seen before in this country,” he said. “You see it in third world countries, you see it in banana republics, but you don’t see it in the United States of America, and it’s a very sad thing. And I think I’m doing a great service by having gone through it and revealing it.”
3. Trump downplayed his debate expectations
Using a similar strategy to his campaign’s tactics before his first debate against President Joe Biden on CNN, Trump took the opportunity to criticize ABC before next week’s debate against his new Democratic opponent, Harris.
“I’m going into very hostile territory shortly in a debate with ABC,” Trump said. “George Slopodopoulos and that group. ABC, I think, is the worst of everybody. I think they’re the worst. They are the nastiest. As bad as you can be.”
Trump alluded to ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos, who will not moderate the debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday. ABC hosts Linsey Davis and David Muir will be behind the moderators’ desk instead.
Trump’s expectations game has been muddled by his own criticism of Harris as “dumb as a rock,” last week describing her as “deficient.”
4. Trump’s press conference became a press statement
The Trump campaign billed Friday’s press availability as a press conference, but it became a press statement after the former president departed Trump Tower’s lobby after 50 minutes without answering any questions.
“The public understands it’s a hoax. It’s a scam. It’s a political witch hunt. And some of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Thank you very much, everybody,” he said before leaving.
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Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D Vance (R-OH), have been criticizing Harris for not taking questions from reporters, comparing her more tentative media strategy to their more free-wheeling approach to news and other outlets.
While defending their candidate, Harris’s campaign underscored that Trump undermines himself in most of his public appearances.
