"Trump's Legal Battles: From Defamation Verdict to Border Rants"

A civil jury found that Donald Trump sexually abused E. Jean Carroll but failed to prove he raped her, leading to a $5 million award. In a separate defamation case, a jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million for Trump's denials. The distinction between sexual abuse and rape hinges on New York's definition of "rape," which requires vaginal penetration by a penis. The judge ruled that the jury's verdict implied Trump forcibly penetrated Carroll with his fingers, constituting rape. The jury's decision was based on Carroll's repeated and clear testimony about digital penetration, corroborating accounts from other women, and Trump's own comments, leading to the conclusion that Carroll's statements are "substantially true."