It’s a defamation suit, not a rape suit.
So IMHO (IANAL) the issue is whether Trump said anything untrue which results in damage to Zervos’ name.
Honestly, I have never heard of Zervos until her lawsuit.
If Trump never said anything in public about private meetings with Zervos, then it would seem to me that there is no merit to the suit. All the damage is self inflicted. Perhaps I am not understanding something...
Yes, but the defamation claim is based on the fact that she accused him last Fall, he denied it and called her a liar, and might have said a few other things.
The entire back and forth is based upon her accusation of sexual assault that he denied. He had a right to deny it, and she's claiming defamation in his denial. No idea if the law has ruled on such a situation.'