By Ivy Meeropol
In the mid-1990s, E. Jean Carroll stood out in New York City as a prominent journalist and a witty advice columnist for Elle magazine. Known affectionately as ‘Auntie E’ to her audience, she also hosted a daily cable TV advice show. Her presence was so familiar that when she crossed paths with Donald Trump at Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue, he acknowledged her by saying, ‘Hey, you’re that advice lady!’ At the time, Carroll was 52 years old.
Years later, I was unfamiliar with her identity until I saw her on the cover of New York magazine in 2019. Carroll recounted her encounter with Trump, revealing a story of sexual assault. By this point, Trump was serving as the President of the United States. Trump denied Carroll’s accusations, and she filed a defamation lawsuit in response to his claims that she was ‘totally lying’ and motivated by political and financial interests.
In 2022, New York State enacted the Adult Survivors Act, allowing individuals to bring forward claims of sexual abuse. Carroll took action by suing Trump again, incorporating a battery claim alongside the new defamation allegations based on Trump’s statements that year.
In 2019, I reached out to Carroll, proposing a documentary focusing on her. I sensed her significance in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement. What followed was a tumultuous and often frightening journey with E. Jean and her lead attorney, Robbie Kaplan, as they navigated the challenges posed by crossing paths with Trump, something I termed the ‘Trump effect.’
Throughout the pandemic, Carroll and I developed a rapport, and I filmed her at home as she prepared to take legal action against Trump for her accusations of sexual abuse and defamation, which Trump persistently denied. The legal team was not entirely pleased by the presence of a camera crew, especially since Trump suggested Carroll was benefiting from the media attention.
I attended the trial as a spectator in 2023. During the proceedings, one of Carroll’s attorneys asked, ‘Has anyone reached out to you, Ms. Carroll, about potentially filming a documentary about you?’ Carroll acknowledged that several filmmakers had contacted her, yet she had ignored them all except for me. As she mentioned my name, I was overwhelmed with apprehension. It’s important to note that there were no financial transactions involved in her participation in the film.
The jury ultimately held Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. Subsequently, Trump appeared at a lively CNN town hall event, where he once again ridiculed Carroll. He questioned, ‘What kind of a woman meets somebody and brings them up and within minutes you’re playing hanky-panky in a dressing room?’ His derogatory remarks drew laughter from the audience.