In a federal defamation trial, former President Donald Trump testified in his own defense on Thursday, answering a total of five questions on the witness stand. However, his testimony was severely curtailed by the judge overseeing the trial, limiting the scope of his responses.

Unlike his previous appearances in court, where he would engage in discursive filibustering, Trump's three minutes of testimony were devoid of antics. He provided mostly direct replies which were swiftly cut off whenever they veered off-course.

The lawsuit at hand was filed by writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of raping her and sued him for defamation when he denied her allegations. Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, began by asking him if he stood by the testimony he gave in a videotaped deposition, which had been presented to the jury. Trump confirmed that he stood by it, stating that Carroll's accusation was false.

However, objections from Carroll's attorneys interrupted Trump's answers and the judge instructed the jury to disregard most of his responses, considering them irrelevant.

Carroll's lawsuit stems from Trump's remarks in 2019, where he claimed to have never met her and insinuated that she fabricated the accusation for monetary gain. A previous trial between Carroll and Trump resulted in a jury ordering Trump to pay $5 million in damages, finding him guilty of sexual abuse and defamation.

Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled before the current trial that Trump's 2019 remarks were defamatory, leaving the jury with only one question to decide - the amount of damages Trump will have to pay. The trial, which commenced last week and faced a brief delay due to a juror feeling ill, is expected to conclude with closing arguments from both sides, followed by jury deliberations.

Notably, Trump's testimony on Thursday marked the first time he appeared before a jury since leaving the White House. In a civil fraud trial last year, Trump's testimony was not in front of a jury, affording him greater latitude. However, in the current trial, the judge limited Trump's potential testimony, disallowing him from disputing the assault allegations or implying that Carroll fabricated her account.

Before Trump took the stand, Judge Kaplan questioned Trump's lawyer about the planned questions and responses. During this discussion, Trump's voice became audible on the microphone, prompting the judge to instruct him to lower his volume.

As the trial nears its end, the focus now shifts to the closing arguments and the subsequent deliberation by the nine-person jury. Meanwhile, the nation watches closely as this high-profile defamation trial involving a former president unfolds in the courtroom.