Live updates: Closing arguments in E Jean Carroll defamation trial against Donald TrumpTrump

The group of Colorado voters vying to keep Donald Trump off the state’s primary ballot have filed their brief with the US Supreme Court arguing that the former president is not eligible for office based on section three of the 14th Amendment.

Oral arguments in Trump v Anderson are scheduled for 8 February.

Following Alina Habba’s closing argument in defence of Donald Trump, E Jean Carroll’s lawyer Shawn Crowley gave a rebuttal to the idea that her client’s life had gotten better following her allegations.

Habba contended that Ms Carroll does not live in fear and compared the abuse she endures to “mean tweets” and that while they should be “universally condemned”, the former president should not have to pay for the threats as he did not direct them.

Crowley responded in rebuttal: “The idea that the positive attention that Carroll’s gotten somehow cancels the harm from Trump for years?”

Crowley also hit out at Habba’s remarks about Mr Trump’s “truth”.

“Ladies and gentlemen, his truth was a lie!”

Summarising the case, Crowley added: “Defamation of a woman who’s been sexually assaulted. Defamation by the man who sexually assaulted her.”

Further responding to the claim from the Trump team that Ms Carroll is enjoying her new fame, Crowley noted: “Two things can be true at once: You can be wrecked inside but also have moments of triumph.”

We asked for one Trial, on the E. Jean Carroll False Accusation Case, but the Judge wouldn’t give it to us, he made us have two Trials on the same Hoax, and then, on the second Trial, they were allowed to use whatever information they wanted from the first, but we weren’t allowed to use anything! As an example, the Depositions they’re using on the second Trial were taken in the first. He wouldn’t allow us to use the totally exonerating Anderson Cooper/CNN Interview on either trial, but none of it in the second. Our Legal System is in shambles! This is another Biden Demanded Witch Hunt against his Political Opponent, funded and managed by Radical Left Democrats. The Courts are totally stacked against me, have never been used against a Political Opponent, like this, but in the end, we will win it all, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Fani Willis should immediately be forced to drop her corrupt PERSECUTION of me, and 19 other innocent people. This “case” was brought, it has just been learned, in Total and Complete Coordination with Crooked Joe Biden’s White House, and the DOJ. Her boyfriend/lover went to the White House on numerous occasions in order to coordinate their “Hunt for Trump,” and charged large fees in doing so. This is now a fully debunked and disgraced Witch Hunt that is a blight on the Great State of Georgia. The whole World is talking about it! I did nothing wrong and, to the best of my knowledge, neither did anyone else. This case must be dropped with apologies being made to all of those who were so unfairly treated!

Donald Trump walked back into the courtroom in advance of the defence closing argument which is being delivered by Alina Habba.

She begins: “That was some rendition of the facts.”

Habba continues by saying that Ms Carroll is trying to “pin Twitter trolls’ comments on a former President of the United States”.

She further says Ms Carroll ignores “the media and press frenzy” and “the public profile that she still enjoys”.

Of Mr Trump’s version of events and defence, she says: “You know why he has not wavered — because it’s the truth.”

This sparks an objection from Ms Carroll’s team which Judge Kaplan sustains noting that this was proved false at the previous trial.

After Habba tries that line of argument again, the judge warns: “If you violate my instructions again, Ms Habba, there may be consequences.”

Fox News host Bill Hemmer told the former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor, “You went on to say there a moment ago that he was ‘totally unhinged’ … Coming out of New Hampshire, he won 74 per cent of Republicans. To date, 109 counties have voted and you’ve won two, and one of those by a single vote. When do you start winning Republicans?”

Ms Haley said that she “will win Republicans”.

“But guess who else I win? I win moderates. And I win independents, which he does not. That is why he lost in 2018. That’s why he lost in 2020. That’s why he lost in 2022. And that’s why in every poll, you see, he loses to Joe Biden, and I win,” she argued.

Gustaf Kilander reports on Ms Haley’s latest appearance on the news network:

Roberta Kaplan concludes by telling the jury that when they deliberate later today, consider that they have a former President of the United States who has shown contempt for the rule of law and the system of justice. She tells them to stand up for E Jean Carroll and the rule of law.

If not, she adds, no one would ever be safe from bullies.

She tells them that there is a way and that they have the opportunity, maybe even the responsibility, to put an end to this right now with their verdict and make him pay for what he has done.

She echoes Mr Trump’s own attack on Ms Carroll in 2019, saying: “Now is the time to make him pay for it… dearly.”

The court goes on a morning break.