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Sunday, September 21, 2025

Category: Media
September 17, 2025
Media

ABC Reporter Apologizes for Calling Charlie Kirk Assassin’s Messages With Trans Lover ‘Very Touching.’

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: ABC News reporter Matt Gutman apologized after backlash over his comments on texts between Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin Tyler Robinson and his transgender lover, which were read aloud during a press conference on the charges against him.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Matt Gutman, Tyler Robinson, and his transgender partner, Lance Twiggs.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Comments aired following a Utah County Attorney press conference on September 16, 2025.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “[L]et there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime.” – Matt Gutman

🎯IMPACT: Gutman faced significant backlash for describing the texts as “very touching,” prompting public clarification and an apology.

IN FULL

ABC News reporter Matt Gutman has apologized for on-air comments he made about a text message exchange between Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk, and his transgender lover, Lance Twiggs. During a Tuesday report, Gutman referred to the messages as “very touching” and called them “a very intimate portrait into this relationship.”

On Wednesday, Gutman attempted to walk back his remarks, posting on X (formerly Twitter): “Yesterday I tried to underscore the jarring contrast between this cold blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk—a man who dedicated his life to public dialogue—and the personal, disturbing texts read aloud by the Utah County Attorney at the press conference.”

He continued, “I deeply regret that my words did not make that clear. But let there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family, those who were forced to witness it at UVU, and the millions of people he inspired.”

Robinson’s texts, which referred to Twiggs—a biological male—as “my love,” appeared to confess to the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, and included details about the weapon used. Some observers, including WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon, have voiced skepticism about the texts, which may have been sent to provide an alibi for Twiggs and other associates of Robinson.

The 22-year-old Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child. He faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted.

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September 16, 2025
Media
News

Trans Writer Loses Comic Deal After Celebrating Charlie Kirk’s Assassination.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: DC Comics canceled a new series by transgender writer Gretchen Felker-Martin after he celebrated the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gretchen Felker-Martin, Charlie Kirk, DC Comics, and Utah State University student Tyler Robinson.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on September 10, 2025, at Utah State University, with DC Comics’ decision following shortly after.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie,” Felker-Martin posted on social media.

🎯IMPACT: DC Comics canceled Felker-Martin’s Red Hood series after one issue and offered credits for unsold copies.

IN FULL

Gretchen Felker‑Martin, a transgender horror author, has lost a publishing deal with DC Comics, behind franchises such as Batman and Superman, following a social media post mocking the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Felker‑Martin, who was set to release a new comic book series titled Red Hood, responded to news of Kirk’s death by writing, “Hope the bullet’s okay after touching Charlie.”

The post sparked swift backlash, and DC Comics quickly moved to cancel the series after only the first issue had been released. The company issued a statement saying, “Posts or public comments that can be viewed as promoting hostility or violence are inconsistent with DC’s standards of conduct.” Retailers were offered credit for any unsold copies.

Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah State University. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, a student whose boyfriend is transgender, was taken into custody and charged with murder.

Felker‑Martin, a man who poses as a woman, later defended his remarks in an essay published on Patreon. He described Kirk as “evil” and alleged that “His cruelty will linger like a bad smell for decades to come.” He added that He regretted not taking that cruelty more seriously when others tried to raise the issue. Felker‑Martin is no stranger to controversy. In 2022, he authored a horror novel depicting author J.K. Rowling burning to death, and in 2023, he made inflammatory public comments accusing several writers of being transphobic.

The fallout from Kirk’s assassination has extended far beyond Felker‑Martin. People in media, government, education, and academia have faced disciplinary actions or been terminated for making similar remarks about Kirk’s death. For instance, Matthew Dowd, a political analyst at MSNBC, was fired after he said on air that “hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which ultimately lead to hateful actions,” a statement the network deemed inappropriate and insensitive.

Karen Attiah, a former columnist at The Washington Post, confirmed she had been fired for posts on Bluesky that were labeled “gross misconduct” by the paper. A U.S. Secret Service agent was also suspended after allegedly posting celebratory messages about the killing, while a FEMA employee and an assistant dean at Middle Tennessee State University also lost their jobs following comments seen as condoning or mocking Kirk’s assassination.

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September 16, 2025
Media
News

Trump Files $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against ‘Most Degenerate Newspaper in History.’

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump filed a federal lawsuit against The New York Times, seeking $15 billion for alleged defamation and libel.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, The New York Times, and four of its journalists.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Filed late Monday in the U.S. District Court in Florida.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “I view it as the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit underscores the growing distrust of corporate media.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump announced late Monday that he has filed a federal lawsuit against The New York Times, seeking $15 billion for alleged defamation and libel. Trump called the outlet “one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the history of our country, a virtual mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party.”

“Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I view it as the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER. Their Endorsement of Kamala Harris was actually put dead center on the front page of The New York Times, something heretofore UNHEARD OF!”

“I am PROUD to hold this once respected ‘rag’ responsible, as we are doing with the Fake News Networks such as our successful litigation against George Slopadopoulos/ABC/Disney, and 60 Minutes/CBS/Paramount, who knew that they were falsely “smearing” me through a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration, which was, in effect, a malicious form of defamation, and thus, settled for record amounts,” Trump added.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Florida, names The New York Times and four of its journalists. Attorneys for Trump accused the outlet of “spreading false and defamatory content” about the president. “The Times has betrayed the journalistic ideals of honesty, objectivity, and accuracy that it once professed,” the lawyers stated, adding that the outlet “published such statements negligently, with knowledge of the falsity of the statements, and/or with reckless disregard of their truth or falsity.”

 A similar lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal was filed in July over its Jeffrey Epstein coverage. In 2020, Trump sued The New York Times over an opinion column that claimed his campaign was influenced by Moscow; that case was dismissed as “protected speech.”

In recent days, Trump has called for reinstating the Cold War-era Smith‑Mundt Act to hold media accountable.

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September 16, 2025
Media
News

Top Tony Blair Advisor Walks Back Lies About Charlie Kirk.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s former communications director, Alastair Campbell, apologized for falsely claiming Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk supported stoning homosexuals to death.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alastair Campbell, Charlie Kirk, Andrew Doyle, and Stephen King.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The controversy unfolded following Kirk’s assassination, with comments and retractions made on social media and podcasts.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Apologies for this. I had seen a clip on social media which did not have the full context, and had seen others making the same claim.” – Alastair Campbell

🎯IMPACT: The incident highlights the need for caution when sharing social media content.

IN FULL

Alastair Campbell, the infamous former communications director to Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, best known for his role in paving the way for the Iraq War, has issued a public apology after making false claims about Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Speaking on the podcast The Rest Is Politics, which he co-hosts with former Conservative Party government minister Rory Stewart, Campbell alleged that Kirk had advocated for the stoning of homosexuals.

Campbell said on the podcast, “The guy’s died and it’s tragi … but it’s important we don’t lose sight of some of the views he expressed because they were horrific. I remember one clip I saw of him saying that, a literal reading of the Bible, gay people should be stoned to death.” This false statement triggered swift backlash, with political satirist Andrew Doyle, sharing a clip of the exchange that refuted Campbell’s claim.

“No… Charlie Kirk categorically did NOT support the stoning to death of gay people. Will you retract this reckless and ignorant smear?” Doyle wrote on X.

The video Campbell referenced was later shown to be part of a broader discussion on selective biblical interpretation, not a call to violence. Campbell later apologized publicly on X, saying, “Apologies for this. I had seen a clip on social media which did not have the full context, and had seen others making the same claim. The full exchange shows it was a debate about Biblical interpretation, not a call for the stoning of gay people.”

Other public figures, including author Stephen King, also spread the inaccurate claim and subsequently retracted it.

Campbell’s co-host, Rory Stewart, a former Conservative Party leadership contender, has previously faced media attention for all but guaranteeing that Kamala Harris would win the U.S. presidency, and for clashing with Vice President J.D. Vance over the Christian teaching on the hierarchy of love.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the problem with Rory and people like him is that he has an IQ of 110 and thinks he has an IQ of 130,” Vance said.

Image by University of Salford.

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September 15, 2025
William Upton
Media
News

WaPo Fires Columnist for Bluesky Posts About Charlie Kirk.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: The Washington Post has fired its founding Global Opinion editor and columnist, Karen Attiah, over a string of vile posts on far-left social media app Bluesky, following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk last week.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Washington Post and Karen Attiah.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Attiah announced she had been fired on Monday, September 15, 2025.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: Attiah said that “part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence.”

🎯IMPACT: The firing is one of the more politically high-profile following Kirk’s assassination last week. A large number of leftists working in education, healthcare, state and local government, the U.S. military, and elsewhere have been fired for grotesque expressions of approval after Kirk’s murder.

IN FULL

The Washington Post has fired its founding Global Opinion editor and columnist, Karen Attiah, over a string of vile posts on the far-left social media app, Bluesky, following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk last week. Attiah, who has been a routine source of controversy for the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper, wrote, among other posts, that “part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence.”

She also attempted to justify her lack of empathy after Kirk‘s death by calling denouncements of violence just “empty rhetoric” and arguing Republicans instigate political violence. The now-former Washington Post columnist went on to write in a reply to another user that, “refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man that espoused violence is… not the same as violence.”

“Last week, the Washington Post fired me. The reason? Speaking out against political violence, racial double standards, and America’s apathy toward guns,” Attiah wrote on Monday on her Substack blog. “As a columnist, I used my voice to defend freedom and democracy, challenge power and reflect on culture and politics with honesty and conviction. Now, I am the one being silenced—for doing my job.”

Attiah went on to defend her social media posts, writing: “[T]he Post accused my measured Bluesky posts of being ‘unacceptable’, ‘gross misconduct’ and of endangering the physical safety of colleagues—charges without evidence, which I reject completely as false.”

This isn’t the first time that Attiah has stoked controversy for anti-Republican and anti-white opinions. The National Pulse reported in July 2024 that Attiah, an alumnus of Northwestern University, resigned as the co-chair of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention over its decision to invite President Donald J. Trump to speak. “I am so angry right now. N.A.B.J., this was a colossal mistake,” she said of the decision.

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September 11, 2025
William Upton
Media
Politics

WATCH: Dem Rep. Ilhan Omar and Mehdi Hasan Laugh and Trash Charlie Kirk After Assassination.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Video has emerged of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan making light of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk as he debated students at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Omar, Mehdi Hasan, and the late Charlie Kirk.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: Kirk was assassinated on Wednesday, and Omar’s interview surfaced on social media on Thursday, September 11, 2025.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “What I do know for sure is that, you know, Charlie was someone who once said, you know, guns save lives after a school shooting.” — Rep. Ilhan Omar.

🎯IMPACT: While some Democrat officials have offered condemnations of the assassination, others, like Rep. Omar, have made a point of attacking Kirk and conservatives generally for their views.

IN FULL

Video has emerged of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan—who was fired from the far-left network for amplifying anti-Israel content in the wake of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks—making light of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk while he spoke at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. In the interview clip, Omar—a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia who is accused of having committed visa fraud by engaging in a sham marriage with her brother—smears Kirk, stating that those who claim the America First political figure just wanted to have civil debates are historical revisionists.

“What I do know for sure is that, you know, Charlie was someone who once said, you know, guns save lives after a school shooting,” Rep. Omar, an influential figure among Democrat progressives in Congress, told Hasan. “Charlie was someone who was willing to debate and downplay the death of George Floyd in [sic] the hands of Minneapolis Police,” prompting Hasan to interject: “I think he called him a scumbag.”

“Right, have no regard, downplayed slavery, and what black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth should never exist,” Omar rambled on, adding: “And I think, you know, there are a lot of people who are out there talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate.”

“It’s bullshit, a complete rewriting of history,” Hasan responded, laughing along with Omar, who continued: “Yeah, there is nothing more effed up, you know, like, than to completely pretend that his words and actions have not been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so.”

Notably, Hasan, an Indian-heritage British immigrant, has been recorded in the past making many controversial statements, for instance by calling non-Muslims “cattle” who “live their lives as animals.”

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September 11, 2025
Media

‘Hateful Words Lead to Hateful Actions’ — MSNBC Terminates Matthew Dowd for Comments on Charlie Kirk Assassination.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: MSNBC fired senior political analyst Matthew Dowd after he appeared to suggest Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk had invited his own assassination.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Matthew Dowd, Charlie Kirk, and MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The firing followed comments made during a broadcast about Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.” – MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler

🎯IMPACT: Dowd’s comments sparked widespread condemnation, with MSNBC facing calls for accountability.

IN FULL

MSNBC terminated senior political analyst Matthew Dowd on Wednesday, just hours after he made remarks on the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk suggesting he had drawn “hateful actions” on himself.

“He’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures, in this, who has constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech… sort of aimed at certain groups, and I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which then lead to hateful actions,” Dowd said of the 31-year-old, who leaves behind a widow and two young children.

MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler released a statement addressing the controversy: “We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.” Dowd also issued a personal apology on Bluesky, claiming, “Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind.”

As of now, no suspect has been detained or publicly identified in Kirk’s assassination, although the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released images of a person of interest. A rifle believed to be the murder weapon has been recovered, and law enforcement sources suggest it was found with ammunition engraved with antifa and transgender slogans.

Before his comments on Kirk’s supposed divisiveness, Dowd had specilated that he could have been killed by “a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration.”

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September 9, 2025
Media
Sports

BBC: Wanting to Stop Boats Filled With Illegal Migrants Is Racist.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: The BBC faced backlash after a post accusing the “Stop the Boats” campaign against illegal immigration of being racist was published on their live coverage of an England vs Andorra football (soccer) match.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The BBC, Refom Party lawmaker Lee Anderson, Defund the BBC Campaign Director Rebecca Ryan, England football fans, and social media users.

📍WHEN & WHERE: During England’s 2-0 victory over Andorra at Villa Park in Birmingham.

đź’¬KEY QUOTE: “The BBC need to stick to the day job rather than trying to stoke up more division.” – Lee Anderson

🎯IMPACT: The incident sparked criticism of the BBC for failing to meet its legal requirements to remain impartial, and renewed calls to defund the state broadcaster.

IN FULL

The BBC is facing renewed backlash after a controversial post accusing the anti-illegal immigration “Stop the Boats” campaign of racism was published during live coverage of England‘s 2-0 soccer victory over Andorra. The live update, titled ‘No sign of racist post,’ stated, “Thankfully there’s no sign of the ‘Stop The Boats’ flags that were being offered to supporters outside. Having a scan round the stadium now, I can’t see any.”

A BBC spokesman claimed the post was a draft “accidentally published” before going through editorial checks. “It was identified and removed immediately,” the spokesman said. However, critics say it is a sign of the public broadcaster’s institutional bias. Notably, the public broadcaster is funded through a compulsory license fee enforced through criminal fines backed by the threat of imprisonment, and therefore legally required to be politically impartial.

“The BBC need to stick to the day job rather than trying to stoke up more division,” said Lee Anderson, a Member of Parliament (MP) and Chief Whip for Nigel Farage’s Reform Party.

Rebecca Ryan, Director of Defund the BBC, defended the public’s right to oppose illegal immigration without being branded racist. “Wanting secure borders and fairness for taxpayers has nothing to do with skin color, it’s about law, order, and common sense,” she said.

Earlier this year, the broadcaster was found to have breached its own editorial guidelines more than 1,500 times in just a few weeks of coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. In July, a BBC documentary titled Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone was pulled after it was revealed that the main interviewee, a 13-year-old boy, was the son of a senior Hamas official, a fact omitted from the film.

Hostility to conservative viewpoints is deeply entrenched in soccer, with Rangers Football Club being charged with racism by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) in March after fans displayed a banner during a Europa League match that read, “Keep woke foreign ideologies out—defend Europe.” Officials who branded this “racist and discriminatory.”

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September 2, 2025
Crime
Media

MSNBC Analyst Robbed Repeatedly in DC Doesn’t Understand Why Trump Cracked Down on Crime.

PULSE POINTS

âť“WHAT HAPPENED: MSNBC analyst Ashley Parker criticized the deployment of National Guard troops to restore order in Washington, D.C. calling it an “occupation” and suggesting they served no purpose—despite complaining of repeated robberies just months prior.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ashley Parker, co-author Nancy A. Youssef, President Donald J. Trump, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the National Guard, federal law enforcement agencies, and D.C. residents.

đź“ŤWHEN & WHERE: The Atlantic article was published on August 29, while Parker’s viral social media post dates back to June.

💬KEY QUOTE: “After another bike was stolen last night, my husband and I realized our life as D.C. homeowners by the numbers includes: 1 stolen car; 2 stolen scooters/Vespas; 3 stolen bikes; a partridge in a pear tree; etc.” – Ashley Parker

🎯IMPACT: Parker’s criticism of the National Guard deployment contrasts with her own acknowledgment of D.C.’s crime crisis, highlighting partisan hypocrisy in the corporate media.

IN FULL

MSNBC analyst Ashley Parker is facing criticism for calling President Donald J. Trump’s National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C., an “occupation” and suggesting the troops serve no real purpose, despite previously lamenting repeated crimes against her family in the American capital. In a recent Atlantic article co-authored with Nancy A. Youssef, Parker argued the Guard’s presence had “chilled life in the city” and mocked the deployment as “sitcom-esque.”

“To some—especially undocumented immigrants [sic]—the Guard presence is disconcerting at best, terrifying at worst,” she wrote, while dismissing President Trump’s federal crime crackdown as a “farcical” effort. However, social media users quickly pointed out Parker’s own admitted frustrations with D.C. crime. In a post from June, she wrote: “After another bike was stolen last night, my husband and I realized our life as DC homeowners by the numbers includes: 1 stolen car; 2 stolen scooters/Vespas; 3 stolen bikes; a partridge in a pear tree; etc.,” painting a clear picture of ongoing theft and rising public safety concerns in the nation’s capital.

Despite her claims, Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and federal law enforcement has clearly curtailed crime in D.C., with even Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, acknowledging, “We know that when carjackings go down, when the use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer,” specifically noting an “87 percent reduction in carjackings” since Trump’s takeover.

President Trump has invoked Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act to place the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under federal authority and mobilized hundreds of National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers throughout the city. The operation has cut violent crime dropped nearly 50 percent compared to the same time last year.

Over 1,000 arrests have been made, including members of dangerous gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Dozens of homeless encampments have also been dismantled.

Trump also signed an executive order ending cashless bail in D.C. and directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in homicide cases. “If somebody kills somebody in the capital—Washington, D.C.—we’re going to be seeking the death penalty,” Trump said, calling it a “very strong preventative.”

A recent poll showed the majority of voters support Trump’s crime crackdown, viewing it as both “justified” and “necessary.”

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September 2, 2025
Lawfare
Media

E. Jean Carroll Is Seeking Relevance Again, Targeting Trump in New Documentary.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: E. Jean Carroll’s allegations of sexual assault and defamation against President Donald J. Trump, and related legal battles, are the focus of a new documentary, Ask E Jean, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: E. Jean Carroll, President Trump, director Ivy Meeropol, and Trump attorney Alina Habba.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The documentary premiered at the Telluride Film Festival this year, covering events from Carroll’s lawsuits against Trump.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Fifty percent of my answers were bad. I thought I knew everything at the time, particularly about women in the workplace. If you want to get ahead, use your looks.” – E. Jean Carroll

🎯IMPACT: The film sheds light on Carroll’s lawfare campaign against Trump, but may provide an opening for President Trump to file his own defamation case.

IN FULL

A new documentary chronicling E. Jean Carroll’s lawfare campaign against President Donald J. Trump debuted at the Telluride Film Festival this week, as questions about Carroll’s motivations and credibility continue. The film, Ask E Jean, directed by Ivy Meeropol, granddaughter of convicted Soviet spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, centers on Carroll’s two lawsuits against Trump: one for defamation and another for sexual assault, stemming from her claim that Trump assaulted her in a department store in the mid-1990s.

Trump has denied the allegations and is appealing both verdicts, which resulted in combined damages of nearly $90 million.

Carroll, a former advice columnist for Elle magazine, gave an interview to Variety alongside Meeropol on the documentary. In it, Carroll describes the deposition process, led by Trump’s then-attorney Alina Habba, as grueling. “Most people don’t know that you have to go to a trial before you go to a trial,” Carroll said. She said Habba was “brutal,” raising arguments that made the deposition “particularly challenging.” Habba now serves as Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney General.

Carroll has herself acknowledged that elements of her story appear strange. For instance, she claims it took place in a prestigious New York City department store, in changing rooms on a busy floor that are normally locked and watched over by an attendant. She claims that, inexplicably, the floor was deserted and the changing rooms unmanned and unlocked at the time of the attack.

The 81-year-old has accused many men and boys of attacking her over the years, including a small boy, a babysitter’s boyfriend, a camp counsellor, a dentist, an unnamed college date, an unnamed former boss, and former CBS executive Les Moonves. She has seemingly never reported any of them to the police—including President Trump, whom she has only pursued civilly.

The documentary positions Carroll as a feminist figure confronting powerful men. However, critics argue the film glosses over key details about Carroll’s motivations. She previously admitted in court that her claims about Trump gained traction only after her memoir failed to sell. “The book was not selling, so I tried to talk about [Trump],” she testified. She also confirmed that anti-Trump attorney George Conway encouraged her to file the lawsuit after explaining that a civil case would allow the decades-old allegation to be heard in court.

In April 2024, Carroll also came under scrutiny when police seized an unregistered firearm from her home, following a report by The National Pulse.

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