Did trump rape 26 girls,?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
Multiple media and legal accounts say Donald Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least 25 women and was found civilly liable in one high‑profile case where a jury awarded E. Jean Carroll $5 million for sexual abuse and defamation (jury did not find him liable for rape in that verdict) [1] [2]. Separate recent lawsuits include a refiled claim by a woman alleging rape at age 13; reporting notes many allegations but not a criminal conviction that Trump raped “26 girls” in the precise terms of the question [3] [4].
1. What the record actually shows: allegations, civil verdicts, not a criminal conviction count
Reporting and public records compile dozens of accusations spanning decades; multiple outlets count at least 25 women who have accused Trump of sexual assault, harassment or related misconduct [1] [4]. The best‑known civil trial — E. Jean Carroll’s case — ended with a jury finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarding $5 million; the jury did not make a criminal rape conviction and stopped short of finding him liable for rape in that verdict [2] [5]. Separate civil suits and complaints continue to be filed, including a recently refiled federal complaint by a woman claiming rape at age 13 [3].
2. What “rape 26 girls” would mean legally and what sources report
Saying someone “raped 26 girls” would imply criminal findings or convictions for 26 separate rapes. Available reporting documents many allegations and civil claims but does not show 26 criminal convictions or a single authoritative source using that exact formulation; mainstream timelines aggregate roughly two dozen accusers but distinguish allegations from legal findings [1] [4]. Recent accounts mention refiled civil complaints with serious claims, but civil liability and criminal prosecution are different legal outcomes [3] [2].
3. The difference between civil liability, criminal charges, and allegation counts
News coverage repeatedly separates accusations (statements by accusers and civil suits) from criminal convictions. The Carroll trial was civil; juries in civil cases assess “preponderance of the evidence” rather than the criminal standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt,” and civil verdicts can find liability for abuse without producing criminal convictions [2] [5]. Many articles and timelines enumerate allegations (about 25) but do not equate that number with criminal guilt in courts [1] [4].
4. Recent high‑profile developments reporters flag as significant
Courthouse and news reports show active litigation: the refiled lawsuit alleging rape of a minor at a private party was brought back into federal court after being voluntarily dismissed, representing a live legal development rather than a resolved criminal count [3]. Separately, appeals and related defamation suits around the Carroll verdict have continued in courts, with judges and courts commenting on aspects of the alleged conduct in civil contexts [5] [1].
5. Competing perspectives and how sources present them
Major outlets present a split: accusers and civil juries or plaintiffs’ lawyers describe patterns of abuse; Trump and his lawyers have repeatedly denied allegations and called suits “categorically untrue,” and they pursue appeals and countersuits [6] [5]. Some reporting emphasizes the number of allegations as politically and culturally consequential, while legal coverage stresses distinctions between allegations, civil liability, and criminal convictions [4] [2].
6. What sources do not say (limitations)
Available sources do not present evidence of 26 criminal rape convictions or a single authoritative legal determination that Trump “raped 26 girls.” They do not confirm the exact phrase the user asked about as a settled legal fact; rather, they document many accusations (about 25) and ongoing civil and criminal legal activity, including refiled suits [1] [3] [4].
7. Bottom line for readers
Reporting documents a large number of sexual‑misconduct allegations against Trump and at least one civil judgment finding him liable for sexual abuse and defamation (E. Jean Carroll), but the claim “Did Trump rape 26 girls?” is not supported as a statement of criminal convictions in the sources provided; current sources instead show numerous allegations, civil findings in one major case, and ongoing litigation [1] [3] [2].