What specific child sex abuse allegations have been made against Donald Trump and when did they surface?
Executive summary
Multiple reporting threads and legal filings over the last decade have included allegations that Donald Trump was involved in or present for sexual abuse of minors; most prominently, an anonymous “Jane Doe” (also filed as “Katie Johnson”) alleged rape at age 13 in the 1990s and has brought lawsuits that were filed, dismissed and in some instances refiled (as reported in 2016 and later) [1] [2]. News organizations and fact‑checkers note these claims remain civil allegations with varying procedural outcomes—some suits withdrawn or dismissed—and other journalists and public records describe additional, older accusations of sexual misconduct (not all involving minors) dating back to the 1970s and 1980s [1] [3] [4].
1. The “Jane Doe / Katie Johnson” child‑rape allegation: filings, dates and outcomes
A plaintiff using the pseudonym “Jane Doe” (also identified in court papers as “Katie Johnson”) alleged being raped by Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein when she was 13 in 1994; these claims first surfaced in media coverage when lawsuits were filed in 2016 and again later, with reports noting an initial complaint was dismissed and a later complaint voluntarily withdrawn before being refiled in Manhattan federal court in 2025 reporting [1] [2]. News outlets summarized that the 2016 suit in Riverside, California, named Trump and Epstein and was widely circulated on social media when related grand jury materials were released years later; fact‑checks stress those earlier cases were dismissed or withdrawn and did not result in criminal convictions [5] [6].
2. Recent refiled federal complaint alleging rape at age 13 (reporting highlights and timing)
Courthouse News reported that a woman alleging she was raped by Trump at a private sex party at age 13 refiled a Manhattan federal lawsuit after voluntarily dismissing an earlier suit; that refiled complaint was publicized in October 2025 [2]. Coverage frames this as a civil claim restating prior allegations rather than a new criminal indictment, and reporting notes plaintiffs sometimes refile for jurisdictional or procedural reasons [2].
3. Broader pattern of sexual‑misconduct allegations (context and scope)
Legacy reporting and compilations list many accusations against Trump ranging from unwanted kissing and groping to rape claims; PBS’s 2019 recap cited roughly 16 women at that time alleging incidents from unwanted touching to rape, and later compendia say at least 25 women have accused him of rape, assault or harassment spanning decades [1] [4]. The Guardian produced a timeline highlighting alleged incidents in the 1990s and the relationship with Jeffrey Epstein as a recurring point of attention [3].
4. Legal outcomes and what has been proved in court
Journalistic sources emphasize that most child‑sex or child‑rape allegations have not produced criminal convictions: suits were dismissed, withdrawn, or remain civil claims; fact‑checking outlets say no court has established those specific child‑rape allegations as proven criminal acts, and some high‑profile civil outcomes against Trump have involved adult‑victim claims (for example, E. Jean Carroll’s civil verdict for sexual abuse and defamation in 2023) [6] [1] [3]. The reporting compiled in Wikipedia and other outlets notes jury findings on certain adult‑victim claims but does not equate those to proof of the child‑abuse allegations in question [4] [1].
5. Epstein connection, released documents and ensuing reporting
Media reporting and released materials tied to Jeffrey Epstein have renewed attention on allegations involving minors and whether Trump had knowledge of or proximity to alleged trafficking; democrats and oversight releases of Epstein‑related emails and files in 2019–2025 prompted new scrutiny and reporting that Epstein’s records suggest Trump spent time with some alleged victims, though explicit legal findings tying Trump to Epstein’s trafficking network are not documented in these sources [7] [8]. The New York Times and broadcast outlets note DOJ and other agencies withheld some files containing explicit material, complicating public verification [8].
6. Misinformation, viral posts and fact‑checks
Social media posts have amplified court filings and old claims as if new or proven; Newsweek and Snopes examined viral court documents from past grand jury transcripts and a 2016 civil suit that was dismissed or withdrawn, cautioning that viral assertions sometimes misrepresent the procedural status of those allegations [5] [6]. Fact‑checks warn against treating withdrawn filings or unproven allegations as established fact [6].
7. What reporting does not (yet) show
Available files in the provided sources do not show criminal convictions for Trump related to child‑sex abuse; they also do not provide court‑admitted evidence proving the child‑rape claims. Several reports say suits were dismissed, withdrawn or refiled, and that public releases of Epstein‑era materials raise questions but do not by themselves establish legal guilt [6] [2] [8].
Summary: Multiple sources document specific child‑sex abuse allegations against Trump—most notably the “Jane Doe/Katie Johnson” claims originating in filings around 2016 and refiled later—and sustained reporting links those claims to Epstein‑related materials; however, available coverage indicates those allegations have had mixed procedural outcomes (dismissed, withdrawn, or civilly refiled) and have not resulted in proven criminal convictions in the public record cited here [1] [2] [6].