Former President Donald J. Trump's request for a one-month delay in the trial of a lawsuit brought against him by E. Jean Carroll, a magazine writer who has accused him of raping her in the mid-1990s, has been denied by a federal judge. Lawyers for Trump had argued that a "deluge of prejudicial media coverage" concerning his recent indictment in Manhattan would prevent a fair trial. However, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan noted that this coverage was mostly provoked by Trump himself and therefore rejected the request. Carroll's lawyers had also opposed the delay and argued that there was no reason to assume that adverse publicity concerning Trump would abate soon, citing criminal and federal investigations he currently faces. Kaplan further warned that a postponement may not be beneficial for Trump, as "events happen during postponements. Sometimes they can make matters worse." The trial is currently set to begin on April 25.