Judge Lewis Kaplan Rejects Former President Donald Trump’s Attempt to Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit Brought by Writer E. Jean Carroll

A federal judge in New York has ruled against former President Donald Trump in his attempt to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought against him by writer E. Jean Carroll. Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected Trump’s argument that he was protected by free speech rights and presidential immunity.

In his 46-page ruling, Judge Kaplan wrote that Trump’s response to Carroll’s accusation was “over the top” and that the content of his statements was an important factor in the case. Trump had argued that he was entitled to absolute presidential immunity because he made the three alleged defamatory statements in response to Carroll’s accusation, which threatened his ability to effectively govern the nation.

Carroll filed the lawsuit in 2019 after Trump denied her allegation that he raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump responded to the accusation by saying that Carroll was “totally lying” and that he had “never met this person in my life.”

The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress and harm to Carroll’s reputation. The case is set to move forward, with a trial date expected to be set in the coming months.

The ruling is the latest in a series of legal setbacks for Trump since leaving office. He is facing multiple lawsuits, including a criminal investigation in New York, and is also the subject of a congressional investigation into the January 6th attack on the Capitol.