Donald Trump’s deposition in the E. Jean Carroll case took place on October 19, 2022, at his Mar-a-Lago estate, and the videotape of that day became one of the most consequential pieces of evidence in the two civil trials that followed. Jurors watched Trump call Carroll’s account a “hoax,” misidentify her in a photograph as his ex-wife Marla Maples, and appear to defend the conduct he had described on the 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape. Two juries went on to find him liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll a combined $88.3 million.
When and Where the Deposition Happened
The session was held at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and ran from 10:22 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s lead attorney, questioned Trump. His attorney Alina Habba was present and objected throughout. The entire deposition was videotaped.1CNBC. Trump Deposition in E. Jean Carroll Rape Defamation Case Ordered Unsealed2CloudFront (Deposition Transcript). Videotaped Deposition of Donald J. Trump
Carroll, a longtime advice columnist, had accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in late 1995 or early 1996. Trump has denied ever meeting her.3The American Presidency Project. Statement on the Assault Allegation of E. Jean Carroll The deposition was taken in the older of Carroll’s two lawsuits, the 2019 defamation case known as Carroll I, but the video would end up playing a starring role in the second case as well.
What Trump Said About Carroll
Trump’s testimony was combative. He called Carroll’s allegations “a complete con job,” “a hoax and a lie,” and “pure fiction.” He said the encounter “never happened, never would happen,” described Carroll as a “whack job” and “mentally sick,” and dismissed Roberta Kaplan as a “political operative.”4CNN. Trump Deposition Released in E. Jean Carroll Trial5NBC News. Highlights of Trump Deposition in E. Jean Carroll Case
One moment cut against his central defense that he had never met Carroll. Shown a photograph of himself standing with Carroll and his first wife, Ivana, Trump pointed to Carroll and identified her as “Marla,” his second wife, Marla Maples. Habba corrected him.5NBC News. Highlights of Trump Deposition in E. Jean Carroll Case
The Access Hollywood Exchange
The exchange that would matter most at trial concerned the 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording, in which Trump had been caught on a hot microphone saying that when “you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p—y.” He first characterized the remarks as “locker room talk.” Then Roberta Kaplan pressed him on whether stars actually can grab women without consent.
“Well, historically, that’s true with stars,” Trump answered. “If you look over the last million years, I guess that’s been largely true. Not always, but largely true. Unfortunately or fortunately.”6ABC News. Trump Deposition Doubles Down on Access Hollywood Remarks4CNN. Trump Deposition Released in E. Jean Carroll Trial
Carroll’s team would use that answer alongside the tape itself to argue that Trump’s own words reflected a pattern of behavior consistent with her account.
How the Deposition Became Public
Trump’s lawyers tried to keep portions of the transcript sealed. On January 13, 2023, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York rejected those efforts and ordered parts of the transcript unsealed.7CourtListener. Carroll v. Trump Docket The video itself was played for jurors during the Carroll II trial and released publicly on May 5, 2023, after a petition by news organizations. The released footage ran about 48 minutes.8BBC News. Trump Deposition Video Released
How Jurors Used the Deposition
Carroll’s second lawsuit, filed on November 24, 2022, under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, went to trial first. That statute, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in May 2022, opened a one-year window for adults whose sexual assault claims had been time-barred to bring civil suits.9New York State Senate. Adult Survivors Act – Senate Bill S66A Carroll II combined a sexual battery claim with a defamation claim tied to an October 2022 Truth Social post.10U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. Carroll v. Trump Opinion
The trial ran from April 25 to May 8, 2023. Trump did not appear in the courtroom, and his deposition video served as his primary testimony. Two other women, Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, testified about their own alleged encounters with him; Judge Kaplan admitted their accounts under Federal Rules of Evidence 413 and 415.11FindLaw. Carroll v. Trump12Justia. Carroll v. Trump, Second Circuit Opinion
On May 9, 2023, the jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. It did not find that Carroll had proven rape under the narrow definition in New York’s penal law. The award totaled $5 million: $2 million in compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages for sexual abuse, plus $2.7 million compensatory and $280,000 punitive for defamation.12Justia. Carroll v. Trump, Second Circuit Opinion
Judge Kaplan, upholding the verdict on July 19, 2023, wrote that even though the jury had not found rape under the penal law’s “narrow, technical meaning,” the evidence showed Trump “deliberately and forcibly penetrated Ms. Carroll’s vagina with his fingers, causing immediate pain and long lasting emotional and psychological harm.” He said the jury had “implicitly found” as much in awarding $2 million for sexual abuse.13PBS NewsHour. Judge Upholds the $5 Million Verdict Against Trump
The older case, Carroll I, then reached trial in January 2024. Judge Kaplan had already granted partial summary judgment in September 2023, finding that Trump had defamed Carroll in his 2019 statements and had acted with actual malice.14ABC News. Judge Overseeing Trump Federal Defamation Case The jury’s job was to set damages. Trump briefly took the stand on January 25, 2024, calling the proceedings a “Biden Directed Witch Hunt.”15NPR. Trump Defamation Trial
The next day, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of $83.3 million: $65 million in punitive damages and $18.3 million in compensatory damages, including $11 million for reputational harm.16Courthouse News Service. Jury Awards E. Jean Carroll $83.3 Million in Damages
Where the Verdicts Stand
Both verdicts have been affirmed on appeal. The Second Circuit upheld the $5 million judgment on December 30, 2024, finding no error in Judge Kaplan’s evidentiary rulings, including the admission of the Leeds and Stoynoff testimony and the “Access Hollywood” tape.17Justia. Carroll v. Trump, No. 23-793 The full Second Circuit declined to reconsider in June 2025.18Justia. Carroll v. Trump, En Banc Denial
The $83.3 million verdict was upheld on September 8, 2025. The panel called the damages “reasonable and not excessive” and described the “degree of reprehensibility” of Trump’s conduct as “remarkably high, perhaps unprecedented,” pointing to the “ongoing and prolific harassment,” including death threats, Carroll faced after his statements.19PBS NewsHour. Appeals Court Upholds Carroll $83.3 Million Judgment The full Second Circuit denied en banc review on April 29, 2026.20Courthouse News Service. No En Banc in Trump Appeals of E. Jean Carroll Verdict
Trump petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review the $5 million verdict in November 2025. On June 29, 2026, the court declined to hear the case without comment, with no recorded dissents.21New York Times. Supreme Court Declines Trump Sexual Assault Appeal That judgment is now final. His lawyers have said they intend to seek Supreme Court review of the $83.3 million verdict as well, though that petition had not been filed as of mid-2026.22Forbes. Supreme Court Rejects Trump Request to Take Up E. Jean Carroll Case
To stay enforcement of the larger judgment, Trump posted a $91.6 million appeal bond issued by Federal Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Chubb, which Judge Kaplan approved on March 12, 2024.23CNBC. Chubb CEO Defends Backing Trump Appeal Bond24ABC News. Judge Approves Trump Bond in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case In May 2026, the Second Circuit ordered him to increase the bond by $7.46 million to cover accruing interest, bringing it to nearly $100 million, and ruled that he does not have to pay the award itself until the Supreme Court either takes the case or refuses to hear it.25The Guardian. Appeals Court Delays Trump Payment in E. Jean Carroll Case With interest on both verdicts, Trump owes Carroll more than $100 million.26CNN. Supreme Court E. Jean Carroll Donald Trump Appeal