E. Jean Carroll: Allegations of Sexual Assault and Legal Actions (2025 Update)

Allegations of Sexual Assault

In June 2019, E. Jean Carroll, a veteran journalist and author, accused Donald J. Trump of sexually assaulting her between late 1995 and early 1996 in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in Manhattan. Carroll alleges that after a playful encounter—Trump asking her to model lingerie—he lured her into the room, slammed her against a wall, pulled down her tights, and forcibly penetrated her for two to three minutes until she escaped (Web ID: 15). She preserved a dress with DNA linked to Trump and went public in a New York Magazine excerpt on June 21, 2019, titled “Hideous Men.” Trump denied the claims, stating on June 24, 2019, “She’s not my type” and “I never met her,” despite a 1987 photo of them together (Web ID: 11).

The Legal Battle

Carroll filed her first defamation lawsuit against Trump on November 4, 2019 (Carroll I, Case No. 160683/2019), claiming his denials—“total lie,” “hoax”—damaged her reputation (Web ID: 15). On November 24, 2022, she filed a second suit (Carroll II, Case No. 22-cv-10016) under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, adding battery for the assault. On May 9, 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse (not rape) and defamation in Carroll II, awarding $5M—$2M compensatory, $3M punitive (Web ID: 6). A separate January 26, 2024, verdict in Carroll I awarded $83.3M for ongoing defamatory statements, including 2019 remarks calling her a “whack job” (Web ID: 15). Trump posted a $91.6M bond in March 2024, with appeals pending as of March 2025 (Web ID: 6).

Career and Advocacy

Born Elizabeth Jean Carroll on December 12, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan, Carroll built a storied career as a writer. She penned the “Ask E. Jean” advice column for Elle magazine (1993–2020), earning acclaim for wit and candor, and wrote for Saturday Night Live (1985–1986) and Playboy. Author of books like What Do We Need Men For? (2019), she’s long championed women’s rights, using her platform to address sexual assault and harassment. Her 2019 disclosure—despite threats—won praise from advocates like RAINN for challenging power imbalances (Web ID: 3).

The Ongoing Legal Fight

As of March 9, 2025, Carroll’s legal battles with Trump persist amid his second presidency (began January 20). On February 14, 2025, her team sought to depose Trump over post-2024 Truth Social posts calling her a “con artist,” but a judge deferred ruling pending his appeal of the $83.3M (Web ID: 6). Trump’s countersuit for defamation was dismissed in August 2023, and his immunity claims as president failed (Web ID: 15). Carroll, now 81, told The Guardian on February 20, 2025, “I’ll fight until he stops lying,” despite X backlash labeling her “greedy” (Post ID: 4). Her case fuels debates on gender, power, and accountability, with a March 5 NYT op-ed citing it as a #MeToo milestone (Web ID: 3).