The Facts
On Tuesday, Donald Trump filed a defamation countersuit against E. Jean Carroll, a month after a jury found the former US president liable for sexual assault and defamation against the author.
The case refers to comments made by Carroll a day after the jury's verdict in May on CNN. Carroll stated, "oh yes he did" when questioned over whether Trump had raped her in the 1990s, despite the New York civil jury finding that he had sexually abused, but not raped, Carroll.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump has maintained his innocence throughout Carroll's persistent claims, and the former president is now fighting back with his own legal complaints. There's no clear evidence of sexual abuse — let alone rape — and Trump is entitled to defend his reputation against the author's questionable claims.
Anti-Trump narrative
Since Trump was on the losing side of the jury's verdict, the former president has dramatically and consistently lashed out to no avail, and this is just his latest ploy to escape accountability. Carroll has continued to stand firm against Trump's intimidation, with a jury rightly finding him to be a sexual criminal — a mark that will forever taint his legacy.
