E Jean Carroll denies politics and selling books motivated Trump rape allegation

The advice columnist E Jean Carroll has denied that she falsely accused Donald Trump of raping her in order to sell books and for political ends.

Carroll is seeking damages for the alleged rape in a New York department store changing room in the mid-1990s and for defamation after Trump accused her of lying when she went public with her accusations in the book.

Asked under cross-examination why she did not speak up when Trump was running for president in 2016, Carroll said it did not occur to her.

Tacopina confronted Carroll with a part of the draft of her book written a couple of years into his presidency that was not included in the final version but which appeared to indicate a political motive for her going public with her accusations.

Tacopina also focused on an email sent by Carol Martin, a key witness in the trial who Carroll said she told about the alleged rape shortly after the attack.

Tacopina put it to Carroll that she started the book only two weeks after the email exchange. Carroll said that was not true.

Earlier, Carroll told the court about online abuse she received after accusing Trump and again when he posted messages on social media denying the accusations and accusing her of being a liar.

The jury was shown some of the messages, which included misogynistic epithets and other personal attacks.

On Thursday, Trump was due to visit New Hampshire for a campaign event, his first visit to an early-voting state since pleading not guilty in New York to a 34-count felony indictment over hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.