Credit: The Daily Beast
In recent developments that have kept the legal and political worlds abuzz, Donald Trump found himself under the spotlight once more, vehemently denying allegations by E. Jean Carroll, who accuses the former president of rape and defamation. Despite nearly $90 million in civil penalties already imposed on Trump for similar statements, his latest comments have sparked discussions about the possibility of a third lawsuit against him.
During an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Trump referred to the judgments against him as “the most ridiculous decisions,” specifically mentioning Carroll’s claim, which dates back to an alleged incident in the mid-1990s in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury department store in Manhattan. Trump expressed disbelief at the situation, stating, “I have no idea who she is, except one thing, I got sued.”
E. Jean Carroll first made her accusations public in a 2019 magazine article, claiming Trump raped her. Following his denial of the allegations and subsequent accusations of her fabricating the story, Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit against him in Manhattan federal court. A second lawsuit followed in late 2022, adding charges of battery related to the alleged rape and new defamation claims based on Trump’s comments after he had left office.
Trump’s recent remarks, both at a campaign rally in Georgia and on the CNBC interview, have not gone unnoticed by Carroll’s legal team. Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, emphasized the importance of monitoring Trump’s statements, hinting at the possibility of initiating a third defamation lawsuit. George Conway, a vocal critic of Trump and an advisor to Carroll, pointed out the legal implications of Trump’s choice of platforms for his remarks, suggesting that a new lawsuit could be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York due to the national broadcast of his comments.
As the legal saga unfolds, the case underscores not only the personal battle between Carroll and Trump but also highlights broader issues of accountability, the use of defamation laws, and the influence of high-profile figures on public perception and the legal system. With Carroll’s team vigilantly tracking Trump’s every word, the possibility of a third lawsuit looms, potentially adding another chapter to this ongoing legal drama that has captured the nation’s attention.
