Roberta Kaplan said Trump’s “not my type” comment was shocking and argued that he was trying to use government power to avoid responsibility for his private conduct. She also said his effort showed “how far he is willing to go to prevent the truth from coming out.”

In the later Carroll litigation, Kaplan also pushed back by framing Carroll as “smart,” “funny,” “beautiful,” and “courageous,” underscoring that Trump’s comment was both insulting and legally relevant to the case.

What she meant

  • Kaplan treated the remark as part of a broader defamation issue, not just a personal insult.
  • Her response emphasized accountability and the abuse-of-power angle.
  • In court, she countered Trump’s framing by defending Carroll’s credibility and character.

In plain English

Kaplan’s reaction was basically: Trump wasn’t just making a rude comment — he was using it to dodge the allegation, and she said that was unacceptable.

TL;DR: Kaplan called the move shocking , said Trump was trying to evade responsibility, and later rebutted him by praising Carroll and keeping the focus on the defamation claim.