The Truth About E. Jean Carroll

In the mid-1990s, E. Jean Carroll was a well-known journalist and advice columnist in New York City. She wrote for Elle magazine and hosted a daily advice show on cable TV. Her popularity was such that Donald Trump recognized her at Bergdorf Goodman, acknowledging her as “that advice lady.” Carroll was 52 at the time.

When I came across her story in New York magazine in 2019, I had no prior knowledge of her. In the article, she recounted an encounter with Mr. Trump that led to a sexual assault. By then, Trump was the President of the United States. Following the publication, Trump denied the accusations, calling her a liar and dismissing their meeting as politically and financially motivated. Carroll responded by suing him for defamation.

After New York State enacted the Adult Survivors Act in 2022, Carroll again pursued legal action against Trump. This time, she included a battery claim alongside a new defamation claim based on comments Trump made that year.

In 2019, I reached out to Carroll, expressing interest in featuring her in a documentary. In light of the #MeToo movement, I believed her story was vital. Our collaboration turned into a complicated and often frightening journey, revealing the challenges of confronting Trump. I termed this experience the “Trump effect.”

Throughout the pandemic, Carroll and I developed a rapport, and I documented her preparations for the court case against Trump. Her legal team was apprehensive about the documentary, especially with Trump’s claims that Carroll was capitalizing on the attention.

During the 2023 trial, I was in attendance as an observer. On day three, while Carroll was testifying, her attorney asked if filmmakers had contacted her. Carroll confirmed, mentioning that she turned down all but one filmmaker—me. Hearing my name in court was nerve-wracking, but there was no financial arrangement for her participation in the documentary.

The jury concluded that Trump was liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. The following day, Trump appeared on a CNN town hall event, further mocking Carroll, questioning the nature of their meeting in a derogative manner, and receiving laughs from the audience.