In a high-profile New York defamation trial, former President Donald Trump has been granted a one-week delay to testify after a federal judge ruled that he could face millions of dollars in damages. The trial centers around allegations made by columnist E. Jean Carroll, who claims that Trump sexually abused her in the 1990s. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan issued an order on Sunday stating that Trump could testify on January 22, even if the trial concludes earlier in the week.

The judge's decision comes after Trump's request to delay the trial by a week was denied. The former president had sought the delay to attend the funeral of his mother-in-law on Thursday, but the judge deemed it disruptive and inconvenient for all parties involved. Notably, the judge discovered that Trump had also scheduled a campaign appearance in New Hampshire on Wednesday, despite seeking to postpone the trial. Trump's lawyers notified the judge on Friday that he planned to attend the trial.

The trial, set to begin on Tuesday, will involve a jury that will hear evidence related to $10 million in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages sought by Carroll's attorneys. Carroll, now 80 years old, previously won a $5 million sex abuse and defamation judgment in May from a civil jury. She testified that Trump sexually attacked her in the dressing room of a luxury department store in Manhattan in 1996, after a seemingly lighthearted encounter turned violent.

During the previous trial, Trump did not attend and has consistently denied knowing Carroll. He has claimed that she fabricated the allegations to promote her 2019 memoir and to harm him politically. While the jury did not find sufficient evidence to support Carroll's claim of rape, as defined by New York state law, they did agree that Trump sexually abused her and defamed her with statements made in October 2022.

This month's trial has faced numerous delays due to appeals, but it now seeks to address the defamatory comments Trump made about Carroll in 2019 and after the jury's verdict in May. The outcome of this trial could have significant financial implications for the former president, as he potentially faces millions of dollars in damages. The trial will commence with the selection of a jury on Tuesday, followed by opening statements and the presentation of evidence.