Donald Trump has found himself at the centre of a fresh controversy after making a widely perceived “creepy” remark about his own attorney during his New York civil fraud trial. The former US president's awkward comment towards Alina Habba has set social media alight and drawn condemnation from political commentators.
The incident occurred as Trump, alongside Habba, spoke to reporters outside the Manhattan courtroom. In a moment that quickly went viral, Trump interrupted his lawyer to make a personal and bizarre observation.
“She said, ‘I’m sure the judge will rule in the right way,’ and then Trump cut in, ‘Did you see her? She said, ‘Sir, I’m sure everything will be fine’. And then he just interjected with, ‘She’s actually been very nice, but I’ll tell you, she’s a beautiful woman’,” one observer recounted.
The remark was immediately met with a wave of criticism online, with many labelling it “awkward”, “creepy”, and “completely inappropriate”. Social media users and political analysts were quick to condemn the former president's behaviour, noting it was an unprofessional distraction from the serious legal matters at hand.
This is not the first time Trump's conduct towards women has been called into question. His history of making similar personal comments about female colleagues and opponents has long been a point of contention throughout his political and business career.
The trial itself, in which Trump is accused of inflating the value of his assets, continues to dominate headlines. However, this latest personal incident has once again shifted focus onto the former president's behaviour rather than the legal arguments.
