Who Is E. Jean Carroll? The Journalist Behind The Lawsuit Donald Trump Couldn't Overturn

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Trump has suffered another legal setback after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal against a $5 million civil verdict won by writer E. Jean Carroll. The decision leaves intact a 2023 jury ruling that found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the mid-1990s and defaming her when he publicly denied her allegations. By refusing to take up the case, the country's highest court has effectively brought one chapter of a years-long legal battle to a close. But who exactly is E. Jean Carroll, and how did she become one of the most talked-about figures in American public life?

Who Is E. Jean Carroll?

Long before her name became synonymous with courtroom headlines, Carroll had already built a remarkable career in journalism. Born in Michigan, the 82-year-old is an author, television personality and one of America's best-known advice columnists. For more than 25 years, she wrote the hugely popular 'Ask E. Jean' column for Elle magazine, where her witty, unconventional and often humorous advice on relationships and life earned her a loyal following.

Carroll also authored several books, including What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal. It was in an excerpt from this 2019 memoir that she first publicly alleged that Trump had sexually assaulted her in a dressing room at the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan around 1995 or 1996. Trump immediately denied the allegation, saying he had never met Carroll, claimed she was "not my type," and accused her of making up the story to promote her book. Those denials set off a legal battle that would span years.

The Federal Jury Verdict In 2023

In 2023, a federal jury concluded that Trump was liable for sexually abusing Carroll and for defaming her. While the jury did not find him liable for rape under New York's legal definition that existed at the time, it awarded Carroll $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation. Trump's lawyers argued the trial was unfair because jurors were allowed to hear testimony from other women who had accused him of sexual misconduct, as well as the infamous 2005 'Access Hollywood' recording. The Supreme Court's latest decision leaves that verdict untouched.The legal battle did not end there. In a separate defamation lawsuit stemming from Trump's continued public attacks on Carroll after he left office, another jury awarded her $83.3 million in damages in 2024. Trump is continuing to challenge that judgment through the courts.

Despite all the public scrutiny and media attention, Carroll has remained outspoken and is often seen to describe the case as being more about accountability than politics. Her stories in the courtroom have also turned into a landmark moment in conversations around topics of sexual misconduct, defamation and the limits of public speech. With the Supreme Court now refusing to revisit the $5 million judgment, Carroll's long legal fight has reached another defining milestone, one that ensures the original verdict against Trump will remain part of the historical record, even as the separate $83.3 million defamation case continues through the appeals process.