Writer E. Jean Carroll has compared Donald Trump to a “walrus” while discussing her response to being awarded over $83 million in damages from her defamation lawsuit against the former president.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Carroll, a former columnist for Elle, ridiculed Trump for his behavior in the New York courtroom during the civil trial. She also emphasized that the jury’s verdict signifies that there is no need to fear the former president.
Carroll initiated the lawsuit against Trump, alleging defamation related to his denial of sexually assaulting her at a Bergdorf Goodman store in New York in the 1990s. Trump had claimed she fabricated the attack to boost book sales. On January 26, a jury granted Carroll $83.3 million in compensatory damages and punitive retribution after the civil trial, a decision Trump has declared he will appeal.
E. Jean Carroll (Credits: Salon)
In her interview with Maddow, Carroll shared that she and her legal team experienced a mix of laughter and tears upon winning the case against Trump. She also criticized the former president while expressing optimism about the future and commending her “indestructible team of lawyers.”
Carroll remarked, “I feel that this bodes well for the future. I think we have planted our flag. I think we have made a statement that things are going to be different, that there’s going to be a new way of doing things in this country because of this indestructible team of lawyers.”
She continued to describe Trump metaphorically as a “walrus snorting” and a “rhino flopping his hand,” emphasizing that her initial intimidation of him diminished when she saw him in court.
“He was a phantom. It was the people around him who were giving him power. He himself was nothing. It was an astonishing discovery for me. He’s nothing. We don’t need to be afraid of him. He can be knocked,” Carroll explained.
Trump’s office has been reached for comment, but there is no response yet.
Carroll had previously succeeded in a separate lawsuit against Trump for sexual battery and defamation, where a different jury granted her $5 million in damages in May 2023.
In her interview, Carroll underscored that she sees the legal battle as a broader fight for women and victims of sexual abuse. “We are doing this for women around the country who have been knocked down repeatedly,” she stated, emphasizing the need to reclaim rights.
Trump issued a statement expressing disagreement with both defamation verdicts and announced plans to appeal, characterizing them as part of a “Biden Directed Witch Hunt.” He criticized the legal system, claiming it is being weaponized for political purposes and infringing on First Amendment rights.
