Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley criticized former President Donald Trump following the federal civil jury’s decision in advice columnist E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case against him. After the verdict on Friday, Haley took to X, formerly Twitter, to express her disapproval.
In her post, Haley remarked, “With aspirations to be the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump now faces a staggering $83 million in damages. America deserves better than a choice between Trump and Joe Biden.”
Haley, who is a strong contender against Trump, previously stated that she hadn’t closely followed Trump’s ongoing legal battles. However, she emphasized the presumption of innocence, stating, “All I know is that he’s innocent until proven guilty.” During an interview with CNN before the New Hampshire primary, Haley asserted, “If he’s found guilty, then he needs to pay the price.”
Carroll had accused Trump of sexual assault in a department store in 1996 and previously won a case against him for sexual abuse and defamation in May of the previous year. The recent lawsuit focused on Trump’s alleged defamation when he initially denied the assault claims in 2019. The nine-member jury decided on substantial penalties for the former president after days of courtroom proceedings.
