A Manhattan federal civil court today found former President Donald Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll, who reported that Trump had raped her in a Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s. Right-wing media celebrated the verdict, insisting that because Trump was not found liable for rape, he has been vindicated.
The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages after finding that Trump was liable for sexual battery and defamation. The jury did not find Trump liable for rape, a fact that right-wing media have chosen to fixate on as they celebrate Trump’s verdict as “justice” and a “major win.”