Donald Trump to be interrogated in former Apprentice contestant sexual assault lawsuit

A New York Court on Monday has set a deadline for former US President Donald Trump to submit to a deposition in a decade-old sexual assault case. Notably, the court deadline was set in a former "Apprentice" contestant’s defamation lawsuit over what he said in denying her sexual assault allegations. It is worth mentioning that Summer Zervos, a reality show contestant, accused Trump of kissing her without her consent in 2007. She also accused the former US President, who was a host at the time of the incident, had groped her in a California-based hotel. Meanwhile, the court on Monday directed both Trump and Zervos to submit their deposition by December 23, this year.

Notably, Zervos filed the defamation case against Trump when he publicly denied her allegations and took to the microblogging site and called her claims "a lie". Trump characterised the women who sued him for sexual assault and harassment as "liars". He said Zervos was trying to hurt his 2016 campaign’s chances. Later, days after his tweet, Zervos sued Trump and said he hurt her reputation. She is seeking a retraction, an apology and unspecified damages. Replying to the allegations, Trump's lawyer Marc Kasowitz called her claims a hoax and said former President's remarks were right and shielded by free speech rights.

At least 26 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct

It should be noted that Trump's lawyer repeatedly deferred the hearings saying a sitting president shouldn't have to spend time advocating himself against claims in state courts. "The defendant is now a private citizen, and he just cannot delay this litigation any longer," Zervos Attorney Moira Penza told a Manhattan judges law clerk during the teleconference. After the former US President move out of the office following a debacle in the Presidential elections last year, the case returned to a Manhattan trial court for both sides to continue gathering evidence. According to the new court orders, both parties are now required to submit the deposition by this Christmas. Notably, at least 26 women have accused the former US President of a sexual misconduct case. 

Recently, Trump sues his niece Mary over report on tax evasion

Recently, Trump took legal action against his niece and The New York Times over a story about his family’s wealth and tax practices published in 2018. According to the reports, the data that was proffered by his niece, Mary Trump, was confidential and was against the agreement between the family members for not disclosing tax records that she received in a dispute over family patriarch Fred Trump’s estate. In a lawsuit filed in state court in New York, Trump accused the NY Times and three of its investigative reporters, Susanne Craig, David Barstow and Russell Buettner of reaching out to his niece to get the information from confidential documents. 

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)