Former President Donald Trump has once again denied writer E. Jean Carroll's sexual abuse allegations against him, calling them a "totally made-up story" during a campaign rally in Rome, Georgia, on Saturday. Legal analysts suggest that Trump's latest remarks could potentially open him up to another defamation lawsuit, despite having already lost two similar cases and being ordered to pay substantial damages.
At the rally, Trump referenced the $91.6 million bond he posted on March 8, three days before his deadline to pay $83.3 million in damages to Carroll for defaming her in statements he made as president after denying her accusation that he had raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s.
"I just posted a $91 million bond, $91 million on a fake story, totally made-up story," Trump said, adding that the judgment was "based on false accusations made about me by a woman that I knew nothing about, didn't know, never heard of, I know nothing about her."
Carroll first came forward in 2019 with sexual assault claims against Trump before another civil trial in May 2023, where a New York jury found that the former president sexually abused Carroll but didn't rape her. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation.
Trump's latest comments bear a striking resemblance to his June 22, 2019, statement, in which he denied knowing "who this woman is," according to a document shared by MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.
Shanlon Wu, a former federal prosecutor turned legal analyst, told CNN that Trump's latest remarks could potentially lead to further legal issues for the former president. "That's basically the whole kit and caboodle all over again. He continues to say it's false, he says it's made-up, and that certainly opens him up to [further legal issues]. It's a legal, strategic decision if they want to do another defamation suit, but on the face of it, even though he doesn't name her, it's incredibly obvious [who he's referring to]," Wu said.
Lisa Rubin, a legal analyst for MSNBC, wrote on Saturday night, "For those of you wondering how long it would take Donald Trump to defame E. Jean Carroll again, it seems to have happened tonight in Rome, Georgia."
Political columnist David Rothkopf suggested that Trump "is going to turn into E. Jean Carroll's cash machine" as a result of his continued denials of her allegations.
During the rally, Trump also shared his concerns about Lewis Kaplan, the federal judge who denied his request to delay the defamation judgment, calling him a "Trump-deranged, angry man." The former president blamed "Democratic operatives" for his defamation woes and referred to New York, where he and his father built their real estate empire, as a "very corrupt place."
In addition to the $83.3 million in damages from the defamation case, Trump was also ordered to pay a $5 million sexual abuse and defamation verdict that Carroll won against him last year. In February, he was ordered to pay $464 million in damages for a separate fraud case against him and top executives at his company. Trump plans to appeal all three verdicts.
As the 2024 presidential campaign heats up, Trump's ongoing legal battles and his continued denials of the allegations against him are likely to remain in the spotlight. The potential for further defamation lawsuits arising from his latest comments could add to the former president's legal woes and complicate his bid to reclaim the White House.
