In a recent social media outburst, former President Donald Trump criticized the U.S. Justice Department for withdrawing its support in a defamation lawsuit brought against him by E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of sexual assault in the mid-1990s.
Trump, campaigning for the presidency as a Republican, referred to this as another act in the “political Witch Hunt” he has faced throughout his campaign.
As of now, the Justice Department has not responded to requests for comment.
Carroll, now 79, filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump, now 77, after he strongly denied her claims made in a 2019 memoir. She alleged that a chance encounter at a Bergdorf Goodman store turned violent inside a dressing room.
The progress of the lawsuit was delayed for three years while an appeals court considered Trump’s argument that he was protected from liability as president. The Justice Department maintained its position even after Joe Biden became president.
However, in a letter to a Manhattan federal judge on Tuesday, the department stated that circumstances have changed and Trump can no longer claim that his comments about Carroll were part of his official duties. The department referenced a court ruling in Washington, D.C., and a recent $5 million jury award to Carroll for defamation and sexual abuse.
In response, Trump reaffirmed his previous claims about Carroll on his social media platform, emphasizing that the statements he made about her were true.
The trial arose from a lawsuit Carroll filed in November under a temporary New York state law that allows adult victims of sexual assault to sue their abusers for damages, even if the abuse occurred long ago. Trump’s defamatory comments led to the defamation claim at trial.
During the trial, Carroll testified that Trump’s attack had a significant impact on her personal life and damaged her reputation, resulting in hateful and occasionally threatening messages.
Trump did not attend the trial but portions of his deposition were presented to the jury.
In his recent social media posts, Trump criticized the trial as unfair, accused the judge of bias, and explained that his lawyers advised against his testimony.
He concluded by stating that they are strongly appealing what he considers a miscarriage of justice.
Following the verdict, Trump repeated his previous claims about Carroll during a CNN town hall, leading Carroll to amend her defamation lawsuit and seek higher damages.
Trump retaliated by countersuing Carroll for defamation based on comments she made after the verdict.
At the trial scheduled for January, it is possible that only the damages phase will take place.
Note: The Associated Press respects the privacy of those who have been sexually assaulted and typically refrains from naming them, unless they choose to come forward publicly, as Carroll did.
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