E Jean Carroll, the writer suing Donald Trump for allegedly raping her nearly 30 years ago, gave evidence on Wednesday in a civil trial.
She told jurors the former US president had sexually assaulted her and defamed her by lying about it.
“I'm here because Donald Trump raped me and when I wrote about it, he lied and said it didn't happen,” Ms Carroll said in Manhattan federal court.
“He lied and shattered my reputation, and I'm here to try and get my life back.”
Ms Carroll, 79, a former Elle magazine advice columnist, is seeking unspecified damages for defamation and battery from Mr Trump, who is currently leading the Republican field in the 2024 presidential campaign.
The alleged assault occurred in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in late 1995 or early 1996.
After making small talk with Mr Trump as he sought help in buying lingerie for another woman, Ms Carroll said he manoeuvred her into the dressing room.
Once there, Mr Trump shut the door, forced her against a wall and raped her until she was able to flee after two or three minutes, Ms Carroll said.
"As I'm sitting here today, I can still feel it," she said. "It left me unable to ever have a romantic life again."
Asked by her lawyer if she had told Mr Trump "no", Ms Carroll said she "may have said it" but did not know.
Other possible witnesses for Ms Carroll include two friends in whom she confided about the alleged rape, as well as two other women who have accused Mr Trump of sexual assault.
Mr Trump, 76, is not attending the trial, nor is he required to be there.
But he stood by his criticism of Ms Carroll in two posts on his Truth Social platform, prompting the judge to warn his legal team he could face consequences if he continued to discuss the case.
“She didn’t scream? There are no witnesses? Nobody saw this?” Mr Trump wrote.
He also called Ms Carroll's accusations “a made up SCAM” and said: “This is a fraudulent & false story — Witch Hunt!”
His posts prompted US District Judge Lewis Kaplan to tell Mr Trump's legal team, outside the jury's presence, that he appeared to be “endeavouring, certainly, to speak to his 'public'” and to the jury about matters that have “no business being spoken about”.
The judge added that, were he to continue to discuss the case, Mr Trump could be “tampering with a new source of liability”. Mr Trump's lawyer told the judge he would speak with his client.
Ms Carroll denied Mr Trump's repeated suggestions it was because she disliked his politics.
"I'm not settling a political score at all," she said. "I'm settling a personal score because he called me a liar repeatedly, and it really has decimated my reputation."
She said Mr Trump's attacks caused Elle to fire her, costing her eight million readers, and left others convinced she was a liar.
Ms Carroll is suing under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which lets adults sue their alleged abusers long after statutes of limitations have run out.
She broke down when asked if she regretted ending her silence.
"I've regretted this about 100 times," she said. "But in the end being able to get my day in court finally is everything to me."
A six-man, three-woman jury is expected to decide whether to hold Mr Trump liable for damages and how much he would owe.
The trial is expected to last one to two weeks.
Reuters contributed to this report
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
More on animal trafficking
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
