The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday evening argued in favor of defending former President Trump in a lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll who accused Trump of raping her in the 1990’s, with federal lawyers adopting the notion that Trump could not be sued for defamation for statements he made while acting as president.
The New York Times reports that the DOJ, which weighed in on the case for the first time under President Biden, appeared to adopt Trump’s position that remarks he made about Carroll were protected as part of his official duties as president, though it acknowledged his words were “crude and disrespectful.” The position could lead to Carroll’s lawsuit being dismissed, the Times reported.