E. Jean Carroll, the woman suing former President Donald Trump for defamation damages, wrapped up her testimony Thursday, telling jurors he destroyed her reputation with his outsize denials and insults about a sexual assault that took place at an upscale department store in the 1990s.
Trump, who was in the New York courtroom on Wednesday, was absent Thursday because he was attending the funeral of his mother-in-law, Amalija Knavs, in Florida.
His accuser, former Elle columnist Carroll, faced intense cross-examination from Trump’s lead attorney, Alina Habba, who tried to cast doubt on the threats Carroll testified she received after Trump repeatedly called her a liar and claimed she was using his name to sell books and gain notoriety.
Habba claimed Carroll profited off Trump’s insults, which led to television appearances and opportunities to hawk her book.
“So, your reputation in many ways is better today, isn’t it, Ms. Carroll?” Habba asked.
“No, my status was lowered,” Carroll responded. “I’m partaking in this trial to bring my old reputation and status back.”
Habba said, “So, you sued Donald Trump to bring your old reputation back?”
“Yes,” Carroll said.
Northwestern sociology professor Ashlee Humphreys also took the stand.
She told jurors that the cost to repair Carroll’s reputational harm was between $7.2 million and $12.1 million.
Humphreys, who was contracted to analyze the reach of Trump’s statements and assess the damage, estimated about 25 million people saw and were “receptive” to Trump’s comments about Carroll.
Someone would need to see corrective messaging as many as seven times to change their minds about Carroll, Humphreys testified, adding that the damage inflicted was “severe” and the cost to repair it would be “considerable.”
Humphreys also testified in Carroll’s first defamation case against Trump and served as an expert in former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani’s defamation case. In that case, a jury awarded two Georgia election workers who had been defamed by Giuliani $148 million in December. A few weeks after the ruling, Giuliani filed for bankruptcy.
One of Trump’s lawyers, Michael Madaio, suggested Trump wasn’t responsible for the backlash against Carroll because his supporters would be more likely to dismiss what Carroll said and side with him anyway.
“Wouldn’t you think that Trump supporters would have already thought Ms. Carroll a liar in her accusations?” he asked. “If they already had an opinion formed on this subject, and they already had an opinion of Ms. Carroll, would President Trump have any effect on their opinion?”
He added, “Do you think that those same people would have been unlikely to believe Ms. Carroll’s initial allegation? … You agree that people have confirmation bias, right?”
Humphreys responded she believed that “confirmation bias can occur in many contexts,” adding people are “more likely” receptive to information that easily “conforms to their views.”
It is unclear whether Trump will testify in his defense, though his lawyers have indicated he might. Judge Lewis Kaplan has given him until Monday to appear.
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Despite multiple admonishments and requests to stay quiet on Wednesday, Trump took to his social media platform Wednesday night to rant about the proceedings and paint himself as the only victim in a case where he has already been found liable for sexual assault and defamation.
“The whole story is a MADE UP & DISGUSTING HOAX! Like the now fully discredited RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA HOAX, & all of the others, this one is also conceived, funded, & carried out by Democrat Political Operatives like her lawyer (who I just beat in another SCAM case!)…” he posted.