Trump takes the stand in the E. Jean Carroll lawsuit

Former President Trump answered questions under oath Wednesday about a defamation lawsuit he has filed E. Jean Carrollof the writer who claimed to have raped her in the mid-1990s.

Why it matters: The statement comes after Trump repeatedly tried to delay the proceedings.

• “We are pleased to be able to take the deposition of Donald Trump today on behalf of our client, E. Jean Carroll,” a spokesperson for Carroll’s legal team said in a statement. “We are unable to comment further.”

Big picture: A federal judge said last week that Trump had already tried that postpone the case and should not be able to “wear the clock”. CNN reports.

• Trump’s team has asked the court to replace the US government as a defendant or stay the case until an appeals court decides who should be charged.
• The trial is scheduled for February 6, the New York Times reports reports.
• Carroll also said she plans to sue Trump in November under a new New York state law, called Adult Survivors Actwhich gives adult survivors of sexual misconduct a year to file a lawsuit, regardless of when the incident occurred.

Get up to speed quickly: Carroll sued Trump in 2019 after denying her allegations that he raped her in the dressing room of the New York department store Bergdorf Goodman in the mid-1990s.

Go deeper: Judge rejects Trump’s bid to sue E. Jean Carroll’s counterclaim

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.