BREAKING: Trump Goes Nuclear After E. Jean Carroll Verdict

A Manhattan jury has ordered former President Donald J. Trump to pay a staggering $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll in a defamation lawsuit. The verdict on Friday afternoon, which comes as a significant blow to Trump, has elicited a fiery response from the former President, who took to social media to express his vehement disagreement and intention to appeal.

Carroll, a former magazine columnist, filed the lawsuit following her 2019 allegations that Trump had raped her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s, a claim Trump has persistently denied. Trump’s reaction on Truth Social was immediate and unreserved.

He labeled the jury’s verdict as “absolutely ridiculous,” denouncing it as part of a “Biden Directed Witch Hunt” against him and the Republican Party. In his fiery post, Trump condemned what he perceived as a politically motivated abuse of the legal system, claiming it has stripped away fundamental First Amendment rights.

The jury, comprised of nine members, also awarded $65 million in punitive damages, recognizing that Trump’s continued criticisms of Carroll, both during and after his presidency, were “malicious” in nature.

The verdict came after a compelling argument by Carroll’s legal team, which focused on Trump’s sustained remarks about her. These remarks, they argued, were not only defamatory but also part of a larger pattern of behavior by Trump towards women who have accused him of misconduct.

His pledge to appeal signals a continuation of the legal saga. Legal experts anticipate a complex appeals process, given the high-profile nature of the case and the substantial punitive damages awarded.

The verdict was announced following heated final arguments during which Trump abruptly left the courtroom. He did come back for the closing arguments presented by his lawyer but exited the courthouse at 4 p.m.(EST), prior to the jury announcing their decision.

Judge Lewis Kaplan informed the jurors that they were no longer bound by his directive to keep their identities confidential. However, he advised, “my advice to you is that you never disclose you were on this jury.”

Carroll’s attorneys were reportedly visibly emotional, embracing her and each other, with some wiping away tears. When the $65 million figure was announced in the press room, there was an audible gasp from the reporters. Exiting the courthouse, Carroll was seen arm in arm with her legal team, smiling broadly for the cameras.

Carroll announced she was suing Trump back in June of 2023. The jury’s role was solely to decide the amount of damages to be awarded to her. The trial began on January 16, with Trump being the last witness to testify in the case. His testimony lasted for less than five minutes.

Carroll was seeking upwards of $12 million in damages related to alleged actions and statements made by Trump which a jury earlier found to qualify as defamation. During the closing arguments, Judge Kaplan ordered both sides to drop objections and remain totally silent.

“There are to be no interruptions by anybody, no audible comments by anybody else,” Kaplan said according to CNN. “And when I charge the jury later — that rule applies to everyone in the courtroom, including counsel.” Alina Habba, lead attorney for Trump, attempted to record an objection at which point Kaplan replied, “You are on the verge of spending some time in the lock-up, now sit down.”