In a surprising turn of events, Donald Trump ’s attorney, Alina Habba, was seen indulging with Republicans at the Trump Victory Party in New Hampshire, just a day after seeking a delay in the defamation trial against the former president. The trial involving writer E. Jean Carroll’s second defamation lawsuit against Trump had faced a temporary halt due to Habba’s claims of potential exposure to COVID-19 and displaying symptoms. The request for a delay came after one of the nine jurors in the trial was excused for illness. Despite Judge Lewis Kaplan and Carroll’s legal team agreeing to proceed with eight jurors, Trump’s legal team, led by Habba, requested a delay, citing her alleged exposure to COVID-19 and not feeling well. Intriguingly, Habba was not wearing a mask during the court hearing.
Per NBC News, Alina Habba was spotted tonight in New Hampshire. I’m guessing her health was not the reason for delaying the E. Jean Carroll trial, which is now scheduled to resume Thursday. https://t.co/d5HnwM2HrQ
— Lisa Rubin (@lawofruby) January 24, 2024
However, the following day, Habba was reportedly seen celebrating Trump’s victory in the New Hampshire primary , raising eyebrows about the nature of her health concerns. NBC News Garrett Haake reported her presence at the event and former Trump aide Dylan Quattrucci shared a picture with Habba from the victory party, he captioned the post, “Just arrived at President Trump’s NH primary victory party and ran into the wonderful Alina Habba. Alina is President Trump’s rockstar attorney & a huge inspiration of mine!”
As per HuffPost , while some contemplated that Habba might have lied about her health, NBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin defended her, stating, “Alina Habba was spotted tonight in New Hampshire. I’m guessing her health was not the reason for delaying the E Jean Carroll trial, which is now scheduled to resume Thursday. I am not insinuating Habba lied. At all. I take her at her word. She said she had been exposed and was feeling feverish over the weekend; she also represented on Monday that she tested negative that morning. What I am suggesting, however, is that *someone else* who has been a regular courtroom presence has COVID, without which there would be little reason for a three-day delay.”
Just arrived at President Trump’s NH primary victory party and ran into the wonderful Alina Habba. Alina is President Trump’s rockstar attorney & a huge inspiration of mine! pic.twitter.com/DPELdCyF6z
— Dylan Quattrucci (@Dylan4America) January 23, 2024
As per the Independent , the trial revolves around E. Jean Carroll’s allegations that Trump sexually abused her, with a previous trial awarding her $5 million in damages. The present jury will decide whether Trump owes further damages to Carroll, with the trial now scheduled to resume on Thursday after the temporary delay. Habba and her co-counsel, Michael Madaio, tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday, and she attributed her fever to dining with her parents, one of whom had contracted the virus. The delay was announced without a detailed explanation, prompting speculations about the actual reason for the pause.
As the trial unfolds with its share of twists, Habba’s presence at the Trump Victory Party adds another layer of intrigue, leaving observers questioning the motivations behind the delay and her subsequent participation in political celebrations.