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Fact check: Which high-profile women have accused Donald Trump of sexist behavior?
Executive Summary
Donald Trump has been publicly accused or criticized for sexist behavior by a range of high-profile women spanning journalists, political rivals, and a civil‑litigation plaintiff; these incidents form a pattern documented in recent reporting and court rulings. The most legally consequential allegation is E. Jean Carroll’s successful civil case finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, while journalists and public figures including Megyn Kelly, Rosie O’Donnell, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi and several female reporters have publicly reported or been the targets of demeaning comments identified by observers as sexist [1] [2] [3].
1. A courtroom verdict that changed the conversation — Carroll’s civil victory and its reach
E. Jean Carroll’s allegations culminated in a civil verdict holding Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, with juries awarding Carroll damages including a notable $5 million award referenced in reporting and a larger combined award totaling $88.3 million across related rulings, both of which are under appeal by Trump’s legal team [1] [2]. The Carroll verdict stands out as the clearest legal finding connecting Trump to sexual abuse and subsequent defamatory statements, and media analysis treated the case as a pivotal moment for the #MeToo era, prompting others to revisit their own experiences and the barriers survivors face when accusing powerful figures [4]. Reporting dates for these legal developments include coverage as recent as October 2025, indicating ongoing litigation and appeal activity [2].
2. Recurrent pressroom episodes — journalists as targets and the October 2025 flashpoint
Multiple contemporary news accounts document Trump making demeaning or patronizing remarks to female journalists during public events, culminating in an October 2025 incident where he told a reporter, “I just like to watch her talk,” and called her “darling,” remarks widely labeled sexist and misogynistic by critics [5] [6]. Observers frame these exchanges not as isolated gaffes but as part of a rhetorical pattern that undermines professional legitimacy and re‑casts serious inquiry as entertainment, echoing earlier episodes involving named journalists and communications staff such as Karoline Leavitt and Caitriona Perry [3]. The pressroom examples are documented in news stories dated mid‑October 2025, which emphasize both immediate backlash and longer historical context [6].
3. Political rivals and celebrities who’ve endured slurs and put‑downs
Trump’s public salvos against female political figures and celebrities have been long documented, with high‑profile targets including Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, and Rosie O’Donnell cited in multiple analyses as recipients of demeaning characterizations or ad hominem attacks [3]. These interventions have been interpreted as political strategy by critics — rhetorical tactics to demean opponents — while supporters often defend or dismiss the comments as partisan invective, indicating competing narratives about motive and impact. Media pieces from October 2025 revisit these long‑standing examples to argue that recent incidents are consistent with previously documented behavior [3].
4. Experts and advocates — how commentators interpret the pattern
Commentators and gender‑studies observers in the cited reporting argue that Trump’s remarks constitute a broader pattern of misogyny and rhetorical control, in which inquiries by women are reframed as spectacle and professionalism is undermined—an interpretation used to explain both domestic political consequences and international reputational costs when similar comments targeted leaders such as Italy’s Giorgia Meloni [6] [3]. Advocates for survivors and #MeToo proponents point to the Carroll verdict as evidence of systemic issues in holding powerful men accountable, while other voices emphasize legal appeals and denials by Trump’s lawyers, producing a contested public record that remains legally and politically unresolved [1] [2] [4].
5. What’s contested, what’s settled, and what’s still unfolding
What is legally settled in public reporting is that a civil jury found Trump liable in E. Jean Carroll’s case, producing substantial damages and ongoing appeals; what is documented as a factual pattern are multiple instances of public sexist remarks and derisive language directed at named women, including journalists and politicians [1] [3]. What remains contested is the interpretation and motive behind many remarks, the political framing of criticism, and the final legal resolution of appeals and related suits, with media coverage through October 2025 reflecting both condemnation and partisan defenses. The assembled sources present a consistent record of allegations and a landmark civil verdict, while leaving open legal and political outcomes pending appeals and further reporting [2] [4] [5].