E. Jean Carroll publicly accuses Trump of sexual assault in 1990s

Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll published an excerpt from her book in New York Magazine alleging that Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. Carroll, 75, described the encounter in detail, stating "It Hurt. And It Was Against My Will." Trump immediately denied the allegation, claiming "she's not my type" and accusing Carroll of fabricating the story to sell books. Carroll joined at least 21 other women who have publicly accused Trump of sexual assault or misconduct. Two of Carroll's friends confirmed she told them about the assault shortly after it occurred, providing contemporaneous corroboration. Despite the seriousness of the rape allegation, media coverage was initially muted compared to other political scandals.

"It Hurt. And It Was Against My Will." — E. Jean Carroll describing the alleged assault in NPR interview, June 22, 2019