E. Jean Carroll to sue Trump over sexual assault allegations, again


Former Elle advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is taking advantage of a new law in New York to file a civil suit against former President Donald Trump for allegedly raping her in the 1990s, according to court records released on Tuesday, The New York Times reports.
Earlier this year, New York state passed a law that grants adult victims of sexual assault a one-time opportunity to sue, even if the statute of limitations has expired. Carroll sued Trump in 2019 for defamation in response to him branding her a liar and denying he assaulted her in a New York department store dressing room.
In a letter to the federal judge overseeing the defamation lawsuit, Carroll's lawyer, Roberta A. Kaplan, wrote that they intend to file the new case against Trump on Nov. 24. The day marks the beginning of the one year that the law allows for such suits to be filed. Kaplan added that she plans to ask Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York to try the two cases simultaneously on Feb. 6.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, responded with a letter of her own, telling Judge Kaplan that granting the request from Carroll's lawyer would be "extraordinarily prejudicial" for Trump and would violate his rights. Both letters were dated in August and were not available publicly until the court filed them on Tuesday, per the Times.
Carroll wrote about her allegations against Trump in a 2019 book and an article published in New York magazine. She initially filed her defamation lawsuit in state court, but the Justice Department removed the case and moved it to federal court at the request of the White House.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
Another messaging app used by the White House is in hot water
The Explainer TeleMessage was seen being used by former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz
-
AI hallucinations are getting worse
In the Spotlight And no one knows why it is happening
-
Social media: How ‘content’ replaced friendship
Feature Facebook has shifted from connecting with friends to competing with entertainment companies
-
Another messaging app used by the White House is in hot water
The Explainer TeleMessage was seen being used by former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz
-
How does the Alien Enemies Act work?
Feature President Trump is using a long-dormant law to deport Venezuelans. How does it work?
-
Baby bonus: Can Trump boost the birth rate?
Feature The Trump administration is encouraging Americans to have more babies while also cutting funding for maternal and postpartum care
-
Hollywood confounded by Trump's film tariff idea
speed read President Trump proposed a '100% tariff' on movies 'produced in foreign lands'
-
Trump offers migrants $1,000 to 'self-deport'
speed read The Department of Homeland Security says undocumented immigrants can leave the US in a more 'dignified way'
-
Deportations ensnare migrant families, U.S. citizens
Feature Trump's deportation crackdown is sweeping up more than just immigrants as ICE targets citizens, judges and nursing mothers
-
Trump shrugs off warnings over trade war costs
Feature Trump's tariffs are spiraling the U.S. toward an economic crisis as shipments slow down—and China doesn't plan to back down
-
Harvard stares down Trump's tax threat as other schools take note
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Higher ed is on high alert as the nation's premier university prepares to take on the fight of its life