E. Jean Carroll’s post-trial publicity tour is undercutting her testimony that former President Donald Trump’s comments on social media and in the press drew undue attention to her, causing reputational damage. Appearing on CBS Mornings, Carroll told the panel of hosts that instead of the the spotlight being on her, she — and the media — are the ones drawing attention to Trump and giving him “power.” Separately, on Good Morning America, she said she’d like to use the money to cause Donald Trump “pain.”
“We’re the ones who clothe him in all this power,” Carroll said, referencing the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Emperor’s New Clothes. She added: “He has none himself, it’s his followers. It’s his hangers-on. In the court, they were strutting back and forth, handing him messages.”
After making the admission, Carroll suddenly looked at her lawyer Roberta Kaplan — seated next to her for the interview — and asked, “Right Robbie?” before breaking the line of thought entirely.
During Carroll’s second defamation trial against former President Trump, her legal team relied heavily on the argument that the former President’s posts to his massive social media audience brought negative attention to Carroll, hurting her professional and social standing. They called on Northwestern University marking and communications professor Ashlee Humphreys to bolster their claim as an ‘expert witness’ on reputational damage and repair. Upon cross-examination, however, Prof. Humphreys admitted she had no real-life experience in the field of reputational management.
When asked about former President Trump’s campaign to return to the White House and if she’s spoken with his opponent, President Joe Biden, Carroll said she had not. The CBS panel then asked her if she could join Biden in campaigning against Trump, with Carroll responding: “I’d do anything I can.”
In another Sunday appearance on Good Morning America with George Stephanopoulos, Carroll said she is considering using some of the $83.3 million judgment against Trump to “cause him pain.”
She told the host: “I’d like to give the money to something Donald Trump hates. If it will cause him pain for me to give money to certain things, that’s my intent.”
Last week, a New York City jury ordered former President Trump to pay Carroll nearly $90 million in damages.
“The elation was so great on Friday, it filled me up. It was almost painful.”
E. Jean Carroll and her attorney Roberta Kaplan share their reaction to the jury ordering former Pres. Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million in damages. https://t.co/467d4oa1Gu pic.twitter.com/CFmyXbIfFI
— Good Morning America (@GMA) January 29, 2024