Donald Trump was found liable for the sexual abuse of writer E. Jean Carroll by a New York City jury on Tuesday, with the jury also finding the former president guilty of defaming Carroll via social media. She was awarded a total of $5 million in damages.
Trump’s long history of sexual misconduct encompasses the allegations of over two dozen women and stretches back as far as the 1970s. It first became a major part of the national discourse during the 2016 presidential campaign, when he was caught on tape bragging about sexual assault in a 2005 Access Hollywood interview with Billy Bush. Tuesday’s verdict, however, marks the first time Trump has successfully been held legally responsible for sexual abuse. While the federal jury rejected Carroll’s accusation that Trump had raped her, its nine members found that he had subjected her to sexual contact without her consent.
Although Trump’s liability for the sexual abuse of Carroll represents a watershed moment in victims’ and survivors’ rights, the civil nature of the case means Trump will not face any jail time. Still the decision has the potential to affect Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. Trump did not testify on his own behalf at any point during the Carroll trial.