Logo

Donald Trump’s lawyer said Monday that accuser E. Jean Carroll’s rape allegations are a “work of fiction” — and claimed she wants jurors in their civil trial to hate the former president so much, they “ignore the facts.”

Trump attorney Joe Tacopina made the statements during closing remarks in the Manhattan federal trial over Carroll’s lawsuit accusing the 45th president of attacking her in a Bergdorf Goodman fitting room, most likely in 1996.

“The whole story is clearly an unbelievable work of fiction,” Tacopina said of Carroll’s claims, calling them “an affront to justice.”

Tacopina said Carroll’s team wants jurors “to hate” Trump, 76, “enough to ignore the facts.”

The fact that Carroll, 79, did not report the alleged attack to the police after it happened, and that she couldn’t nail down the exact date, month or year she was assaulted are all indications that it is a bogus claim, Tacopina argued.

“It’s not a coincidence all them can’t narrow down the time frame because they don’t want to give Donald Trump the opportunity to present an alibi witness,” Tacopina told the jury of Carroll’s attorneys.

He also brought up a “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” episode from before Carroll went public in 2019 that had a similar plot line as her rape allegations — calling it “one of the biggest problems” Carroll’s side has “that cannot be ignored.”


  Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina called accuser E. Jean Carroll’s rape suit a “work of fiction” during closing arguments Monday. Alex Tabak for NY Post Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina called accuser E. Jean Carroll’s rape suit a “work of fiction” during closing arguments Monday. Alex Tabak for NY Post

Carroll was previously asked about the 2012 episode in question and testified that she was “aware” of it but had not seen it.

Her lawyer Roberta Kaplan argued earlier Monday that Trump had a thin case, which she alleged was proven by the fact that he didn’t call any witnesses or present any evidence at trial.

“He didn’t even bother to show up here in person,” Kaplan said, noting that jurors only saw Trump’s deposition video.

Meanwhile, Carroll gave emotional testimony during her three days on the stand, saying she could still remember the pain from the alleged rape. Her attorneys also called 10 other witnesses.


  Closing arguments were underway Monday in Carroll’s ongoing rape trial against the former president. Alec Tabak Closing arguments were underway Monday in Carroll’s ongoing rape trial against the former president. Alec Tabak

But Tacopina countered, “We are saying it never happened because it did not happen … How do you prove a negative?”

“There are no witnesses for us to call,” he said.

And as for two other Trump accusers, Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, who were called by Carroll’s attorneys, Tacopina said their testimony shouldn’t affect whether the jury believes Carroll’s claims.


  Trump did not come to the trial but jurors saw parts of his deposition video. AP Trump did not come to the trial but jurors saw parts of his deposition video. AP

“They have nothing to do with whether you should believe E. Jean Carroll’s unbelievable story,” he said in court.

“What she is asking you to do is to condemn another citizen as a rapist,” Tacopina said. “She is asking you to do it on evidence that couldn’t stand up in any credible, objective fact assessment that would never make it through a police investigation in a million years.”

The closing remarks come after seven days of trial spread over two weeks. The nine-person jury is expected to begin deliberations Tuesday.

They must determine whether Trump is liable for the alleged sexual assault and whether he defamed Carroll when he denied her claims, calling them a “hoax” in a Truth Social post in October 2022.

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy