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On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, a federal jury in Manhattan found former President Donald J. Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, awarding her $5 million in damages. The decision marked a significant legal judgment against a former U.S. president, even as Trump continued to deny the allegations and declined to appear in court during the trial.
Carroll, a longtime advice columnist for Elle magazine, filed a civil lawsuit against Trump under New York’s Adult Survivors Act. She alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her in a dressing room at the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan in the mid-1990s — an account she first made public in 2019. Carroll also sued Trump for defamation, citing comments he made in response to her allegations, including calling her claim a “hoax” and stating, “She’s not my type.”
After a two-week trial in U.S. District Court, the nine-person jury — composed of six men and three women — deliberated for fewer than three hours before delivering its verdict. The jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse, but not rape, and also determined that his statements about Carroll were defamatory and made with actual malice.
Carroll testified in court, saying the encounter left her feeling “ashamed” and that she had not come forward earlier out of fear and a belief that people would not believe her. The jury also viewed portions of Trump’s videotaped deposition, during which he reiterated his denials and mistakenly identified Carroll in a photograph as his ex-wife Marla Maples — a moment Carroll’s legal team highlighted to challenge Trump’s “not my type” defense.
Trump did not testify in person and presented no witnesses in his defense. In a post-verdict statement, he called the trial “a disgrace” and maintained that he did not know Carroll.
Though this was a civil trial — not a criminal case — the outcome represents the first time Trump has been held legally responsible for a sexual assault allegation. The verdict does not carry criminal penalties but requires Trump to pay Carroll $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
Carroll said after the verdict that the decision was a victory not only for her but for women everywhere who have spoken out about sexual assault and abuse.
Trump’s legal team has said they plan to appeal the verdict.
