Former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles seem to be far from over as jury selection and testimony commenced in a lawsuit that accuses him of rape in the 1990s.
E. Jean Carroll, a prominent American journalist and advice columnist, has filed the lawsuit, alleging that Trump sexually assaulted her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury department store in New York City.
On Wednesday, Carroll took the stand and testified, saying, “I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen. He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life back.”
Trump has vehemently denied the allegations, branding them “a complete con job.” In contrast, Carroll remains determined in her pursuit of justice, framing the case as a stand against powerful men who have long evaded the consequences of their actions.
The trial began on Tuesday, April 25, with US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan presiding over the rape and defamation lawsuit against the former president. Although Trump was not present during the jury selection process at the Manhattan federal court, Judge Kaplan urged lawyers on both sides to advise their clients against making statements that could incite violence or civil unrest.
The judge’s warning is not an allegation of misconduct from either party but is intended to avert potential issues later in the trial.
Judge Kaplan also said that Trump made an “entirely inappropriate” online statement Tuesday about the trial and warned Trump’s lawyers that he could cause even more legal problems for himself.
Carroll initially accused Trump of sexual assault in June 2019, garnering significant attention. Trump dismissed the allegations as “fake news” and disparagingly remarked that Carroll was “not [his] type.”
In 2021, a judge ruled that the US government could not serve as Trump’s replacement in the lawsuit, effectively halting Carroll’s legal battle against him.
Nevertheless, the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals has breathed new life into Carroll’s original case, sending it back to the district court judge who initially ruled that Trump’s denial and alleged defamation of Carroll were not part of his presidential duties.
In November, Carroll filed a second lawsuit against Trump, based on the same rape accusation but incorporating additional instances of defamation and a battery charge under a New York law permitting adult victims to sue even if the alleged sexual assault occurred years earlier. Carroll’s legal team has said that they will not call Trump to testify but will present excerpts from a deposition he provided as part of the case.