Former President Donald J. Trump must pay millions more in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll for defaming her in 2019 after she accused him of rape.
According to the New York Times, a nine-member federal jury in Manhattan determined that the former president must pay Carroll $83.3 million. Trump’s defamatory statements reportedly occurred during his presidency, on social media posts, at news conferences, and throughout the trial.
The author’s lawyers stated that the large sum was necessary to stop Trump from making further attacks on her.
According to CNBC, the jury awarded Caroll with $65 million in punitive damages after deeming that Trump had “acted maliciously, out of hatred, ill will or spite, vindictively or out of wanton, reckless, or willful disregard of Ms. Carroll’s right.”
The verdict was delivered by judge Lewis A. Kaplan to a silent courtroom after warning, “We will have no outbursts,” per the Times.
Trump, 77, reportedly left during the closing arguments and was not present when the financial figures were read aloud.
“This is a great victory for every woman who stands up when she’s been knocked down and a huge defeat for every bully who has tried to keep a woman down,” said Caroll, 80, in a statement.
Trump took to Truth Social to call the verdicts “absolutely ridiculous” and announced his plans to appeal.
“Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!,” he wrote on Friday afternoon. “There is no longer Justice in America. Our Judicial System is Broken and Unfair!”
Carroll detailed the sexual assault she suffered at the hands of Trump in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room during her 2019 cover story for New York Magazine. The assault occurred when Carroll ran into Trump, who was then a real estate mogul, at the department store.
Trump asked Carroll to assist him in buying a present for an unknown individual. After perusing a number of sections in the store, he insisted that she try on a piece of lingerie. Despite some light-hearted attempts to avoid his advances, she ultimately agreed.
"The moment the dressing-room door is closed, he lunges at me, pushes me against the wall, hitting my head quite badly, and puts his mouth against my lips. I am so shocked I shove him back and start laughing again," she wrote at the time. "He seizes both my arms and pushes me up against the wall a second time, and, as I become aware of how large he is, he holds me against the wall with his shoulder and jams his hand under my coat dress and pulls down my tights." Carroll then recounted that he used his fingers to penetrate her and then his penis.
In May, Trump was found guilty of abusing Carroll and was made liable for $5 million in damages.
The author is one of 26 women who have come forward with sexual misconduct accusations against Trump.
