Writer E. Jean Carroll is accusing former US President Donald Trump of rape and defamation. Carroll’s lawyer argued that a video from 2005, in which Trump boasts about being able to “grab ’em by the pussy,” supports Carroll’s claims and those of other women who accused Trump of sexual assault. Meanwhile, Trump’s lawyer called the trial “outrageous” and argued that Carroll’s inability to recall the exact date of the alleged incident made it impossible for Trump to defend himself.
Carroll alleges that Trump raped her in a dressing room at a Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s and then defamed her by denying it happened on his Truth Social platform. Trump, who did not attend the trial and opted not to present a defense, has accused Carroll of making up the story to increase sales of her 2019 memoir.
The trial is expected to conclude soon, and Carroll is seeking unspecified monetary damages. Two of Carroll’s friends testified that she told them about the attack shortly after it occurred, and two other women also testified that Trump sexually assaulted them in separate incidents decades ago. Trump denies all claims.
