E. Jean Carroll, who lost in court after claiming former President Donald Trump raped her in an NYC department store during business hours, has requested a $5 million increase in the slander-related damages she believes Trump should pay.
Carroll, hailed both as a villain and heroine, won a defamation case against Trump earlier this month—Trump’s attorneys are appealing the charges.
On Monday, Carroll announced she had contacted a federal judge to request an increase in the damages she sought due to Trump’s recent comments during a CNN-hosted Town Hall event.
Trump responded to Carroll’s amended slander charges in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform:
“I don’t know E. Jean Carroll, I never met her or touched her (except on a celebrity line with her African American husband who she disgustingly called the ‘Ape,’).”
“I wouldn’t want to know or touch her, I never abused her or raped her or took her to a dressing room 25 years ago in a crowded department store where the doors are LOCKED.”
The former President complained, “She has no idea when, or did anything else to her, except deny her Fake, Made Up Story, that she wrote in a book,” Trump posted on social media. “IT NEVER HAPPENED, IS A TOTAL SCAM, UNFAIR TRIAL!”
“The Carroll case is part of the Democrat’s playbook to tarnish my name and person, much like the now fully debunked Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, the 51 Intelligence Agents, FBI/Twitter Files, and so much more.”
“It is being funded and tried by Democrat operatives, although this was denied by them, and when they got caught in the lie, the Clinton appointed judge would not let us use it in trial. Time will prove him to be highly partisan & very unfair. Where’s the dress she said she had?”
On May 9, a federal jury determined Carroll’s rape charge had no merit but found Trump guilty of defaming Carroll when he disparaged her claims.
A centerpiece in the trial was Trump’s October 2022 Truth Social post, in which he referred to Carroll’s allegations as a “complete con job,” adding she “is not my type.”
For his comments, the nine-member civil trial jury ordered Trump to pay $5 million to Carroll in damages. Trump referred to the $5 million award as “outrageous.” Carroll hopes to see the award amount amended to $10 million.
Carroll’s attorney explained the request to have the award amount amended on Monday:
“Trump’s defamatory statements post-verdict show the depth of his malice toward Carroll since it is hard to imagine defamatory conduct that could possibly be more motivated by hatred, ill will, or spite.”
The new filing added: “This conduct supports a very substantial punitive damages award in Carroll’s favor both to punish Trump, to deter him from engaging in further defamation, and to deter others from doing the same.”
During the May 10 Town Hall, Trump called the verdict a “fake story” and denied he knew Carroll.
“She’s a whack job,” Trump said, adding, “What kind of a woman meets somebody and brings them up, and within minutes you’re playing hanky-panky in a dressing room.”
A federal judge has denied Trump’s request for a change of venue due to alleged political bias.