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What was the timeline of E. Jean Carroll's allegations against Donald Trump?
Executive summary
E. Jean Carroll first publicly accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in the mid‑1990s — specifically saying the incident occurred in late 1995 or 1996 — when an excerpt of her memoir appeared in New York Magazine in June 2019, after which she sued Trump for defamation in November 2019 (Carroll I) and later sued again in November 2022 under New York’s Adult Survivors Act to add a sexual‑assault (battery) claim (Carroll II); a jury in May 2023 found Trump liable for sexual abuse and awarded Carroll $5 million, and appeals and Supreme Court filings continued into 2024–2025 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Coverage varies on details (rape vs. lesser sexual‑abuse finding) and on legal posture, so I flag where sources differ or emphasize distinct legal points [4] [6] [7].
1. How the allegation first became public — the New York Magazine excerpt (June 2019)
Carroll’s allegation first reached the public as an excerpt of her memoir — published in New York Magazine’s The Cut in June 2019 — in which she wrote that Donald Trump had sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room roughly 23–25 years earlier (mid‑1990s) [1] [8]. The timing in sources is consistently described as “mid‑1990s,” often narrowed to “late 1995 or early 1996” [1] [2].
2. Carroll I — the 2019 defamation lawsuit and initial legal moves (Nov. 2019 onward)
After Trump publicly denied the allegation and made remarks like “I don’t know her” and “she’s not my type,” Carroll sued for defamation in November 2019; that first suit focused on statements Trump made in 2019 and challenged his denials and public comments rather than the underlying assault because of the statute of limitations [1] [6] [3]. The first case generated procedural fights over presidential immunity and whether statements were made in an official capacity — issues that led to multiple appeals and rulings in lower courts [6] [9].
3. New law, new claim — Carroll II under the Adult Survivors Act (Nov. 2022)
When New York enacted the Adult Survivors Act in November 2022, creating a one‑year lookback window for adult sexual‑assault civil claims, Carroll filed a second suit the same day to add a battery (sexual‑assault) claim that would otherwise have been time‑barred [3] [6] [2]. That statute change is the explicit reason Carroll could pursue the assault claim in court years after the alleged incident [6] [2].
4. The 2023 trial and jury finding — liability for sexual abuse, not rape (April–May 2023)
The assault/defamation trial in Manhattan proceeded in April–May 2023; on May 9–11, 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 but rejected the more serious rape claim, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and associated defamation [4] [9]. Reporting emphasizes that the verdict was split — abuse found, rape not found — and that the jury’s finding related to the facts presented at trial, including witness testimony and other evidence [4].
5. Appeals, evidentiary fights, and broader legal framing (2023–2024)
Trump’s legal team appealed, contesting decisions that admitted testimony from other women and the so‑called “Access Hollywood” tape as propensity evidence; the Second Circuit affirmed the judgment and the evidentiary rulings, and courts have grappled with whether some of Trump’s statements were made in an official capacity [7] [6] [9]. Sources note extensive procedural litigation around immunity, admissibility, and whether the defamation comments were presidential acts [9] [6].
6. Continued litigation and Supreme Court filings (2024–2025)
After appellate rulings, Trump sought further review, including asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider overturning or vacating the $5 million verdict; news outlets report filings to the high court in 2024–2025 contesting evidentiary rulings and the trial outcome [5] [10] [11]. Coverage in late 2024–2025 focuses on the legal arguments that the verdict was “propped up” by improper evidentiary rulings, per Trump’s petition [5] [10].
7. What sources agree on and where they differ — context and limits
All provided sources agree Carroll publicly accused Trump in mid‑2019 of an incident in the mid‑1990s and that she sued in 2019 (defamation) and again in 2022 (enabled by New York’s Adult Survivors Act) [1] [3] [6]. They agree a 2023 jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and awarded $5 million [4] [7]. Differences in emphasis arise over terminology (some outlets report “rape” as Carroll’s allegation, while court findings distinguished sexual abuse from rape) and about procedural framing such as presidential‑act immunity and admissibility disputes [4] [7] [9].
8. Why the chronology matters — legal and political stakes
The timeline — 1990s alleged incident, 2019 public disclosure, 2019 defamation suit, 2022 ASA filing, 2023 jury verdict, and subsequent appeals — matters because statutes of limitations, presidential immunity doctrines, and evidentiary rulings each shaped what claims were heard and what remedies were available [6] [3] [7]. Reporting shows the case is both a personal claim and a legal test of how courts treat statements by public officials and late‑brought sexual‑assault claims [9] [6].
Limitations: available sources do not mention every procedural filing or every court date in the appeals; this summary relies solely on the provided reporting and legal summaries (p1_s1–[1]3).