Pence says Americans not ‘focused’ on Trump sexual abuse verdict

Former Vice President Mike Pence said he does not believe that most Americans are “focused” on the verdict in the E. Jean Carroll sexual abuse case. 

Pence told NBC News in an interview on Tuesday that the story of Trump being found liable for sexual abuse and defamation against Carroll is a “great fascination” to members of media outlets but not most people around the country. 

“It’s just one more instance where — at a time when American families are struggling, when our economy is hurting, when the world seems to become a more dangerous place almost every day — [there’s] just one more story focusing on my former running mate that I know is a great fascination to members of the national media, but I just don’t think is where the American people are focused,” he said. 

A nine-member jury decided after an almost two-week trial that Trump did sexually abuse and defame Carroll, a writer who said Trump raped her during an encounter in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in New York City in 1996. 

Carroll sued Trump over the incident and comments that Trump made calling her a liar and criticizing her physical appearance. 

The jury did not find that Trump raped her but ordered him to pay $5 million in damages to Carroll. Trump has denied the allegations of sexual abuse from Carroll and insisted that he did not know her. 

Pence said he “never heard or witnessed behavior” like what Trump was found liable for during his time serving as Trump’s running mate and vice president. 

He also avoided saying whether he believes the jury’s finding affects whether Trump, who is widely seen as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination for president in 2024, is fit to serve in the White House again. 

“I think that’s a question for the American people,” Pence said. “I’m sure the president will defend himself in that matter.” 

Trump pledged to appeal the ruling before it was released. 

Pence has hinted that he is considering his own run for the presidency in 2024. He said at the end of last month that anyone who is “serious” about running for the Republican nomination needs to enter the race by June. 

GOP presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson, a former Arkansas governor, was one of the few Republicans who openly criticized Trump after the ruling, saying that it demonstrates his “indefensible behavior.” He called for Trump to drop out of the race after the former president was indicted in the Manhattan case over the hush-money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.