The Department of Justice is launching a criminal investigation that involves E. Jean Carroll, who previously accused President Donald Trump of sexual abuse.
CNN reported that the Department of Justice is looking into whether Carroll, 82, committed perjury in testimony from her two civil lawsuits against the president. Carroll previously sued Trump, 79, for allegedly sexually assaulting her in a department store dressing room within the ‘90s and for defaming her in 2019 when denying the allegations.
The Justice Department’s investigation focuses on an announcement Carroll made during a 2022 deposition. The journalist stated that she received no outside funding for her lawsuit. Nonetheless, it was later revealed that billionaire Reid Hoffman paid a few of her legal fees and expenses via his nonprofit.
Attorney General Todd Blanche has recused himself from the probe, per the outlet. Before replacing Pam Bondi, Blanche worked as certainly one of Trump’s personal attorneys on the Carroll case. The investigation shall be helmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago.
A source with knowledge of the case tells Us Weekly that Carroll is “not the topic of the investigation.”
“The investigation is expounded to her deposition and perjury but it surely’s more focused on Reid Hoffman’s nonprofit,” the insider explains.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told Us that they “don’t comment on investigations.”
Us has reached out to Carroll’s spokesperson for comment.
Carroll and Trump’s legal issues began in 2019 when the journalist accused him of rape. Trump vehemently denied the allegations while claiming that Carroll wasn’t his type and subsequently accused her of constructing up the alleged assault to spice up sales of her book.
Trump and Carroll went to trial for the primary lawsuit in 2023. A jury found that Carroll had not proven that Trump raped her, but she did prove that Trump was chargeable for a lesser degree of sexual abuse. In addition they found that Trump defamed Carroll with false statements made with actual malice. Carroll was awarded $5 million in damages from Trump. Later that 12 months, Trump appealed the decision and the judge denied his request for a brand new trial.
President Donald Trump has announced one other cabinet shakeup with the departure of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump sent shockwaves through the beltway on April 2, 2026, when he announced that Bondi will soon be leaving his administration for “a much needed and vital latest job.” Nonetheless, multiple media outlets reported that Bondi was actually fired […]
One 12 months later, Trump and Carroll were back in court for her defamation lawsuit. In January 2024, the jury awarded Carroll $11 million for damage to her popularity, $7.3 million for emotional harm and $65 million in punitive damages.
After news broke of the end result, Trump took to social media to slam the ruling.
“Absolutely ridiculous! I fully disagree with each verdicts, and shall be appealing this whole [Joe] Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party,” he wrote via Truth Social. “Our Legal System is uncontrolled, and getting used as a Political Weapon. They’ve taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!”