E. Jean Carroll is an American journalist and author who became a legal adversary of Donald Trump after accusing him of sexual assault and defamation. In practical terms, she is the woman whose civil lawsuits against Trump led to major court rulings against him.

How they are connected

  • Carroll said Trump sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.
  • Trump denied the allegation and later publicly attacked her credibility.
  • That led to defamation claims, plus a civil case in which a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

Why her name keeps coming up

Their dispute has stayed in the news because the case moved through appeals, and Trump continued to challenge the verdict. As of late June 2026, reporting said the Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s bid to overturn the Carroll verdict.

In plain language

So, to answer simply: E. Jean Carroll is not a political ally or business partner of Trump; she is a former magazine columnist and author who accused him of sexual assault and sued him. Their relationship is best understood as a public legal and personal conflict, not a friendly one.

One-line version

She is one of Trump’s best-known accusers and plaintiffs, and their clash has become one of the most prominent legal fights tied to his presidency.