A Manhattan jury has ordered former United States President Donald Trump to pay a substantial $83 million in damages for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The decision follows a civil court jury’s prior finding that held Trump liable for both defamation and segxwal abuse in response to Carroll’s accusations.
Initially seeking $10 million in damages, Carroll’s attorney increased the claim to $24 million during the closing arguments on Friday. Emphasizing that Trump should adequately compensate his alleged abuse victim, the attorney stated, “the only thing he cares about is money.”
The trial concluded with closing arguments on Friday, during which Trump briefly left the courtroom but returned later. In a rare instance, Trump took the stand for just three minutes on Thursday, marking the first time a jury directly heard from him in court since leaving the White House.
Although not obligated to be present, Trump had expressed his intention to attend every day of the trial from the beginning. The $83.3 million verdict was delivered after approximately three hours of deliberation by the nine-member jury, consisting of five men and four women.
The ruling comes in the context of prior allegations by E. Jean Carroll, who had accused Trump of segxwal assault inside a department store fitting room. Trump had responded to the allegations by stating, “I’ve never met this person in my life.”
The outcome of this legal battle adds another layer to the controversies surrounding Trump, who now faces a substantial financial obligation as a result of the defamation case.
