BREAKING: Trump DOJ opens criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll
The Trump administration has launched a criminal inquiry into E. Jean Carroll, the writer who successfully sued the president for sexual assault and defamation, raising immediate concerns about the weaponization of federal law enforcement against political opponents.
Federal prosecutors are examining whether Carroll, 82, committed perjury during a 2022 deposition in her civil cases against Trump. The central question involves Carroll’s statement that she did not receive outside financial support for her legal battles. Months later, her attorneys disclosed that a nonprofit connected to LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman had covered some legal costs. Carroll’s legal team maintained she had no direct contact with anyone from the organization, and a federal appeals court panel dismissed the perjury claim entirely in 2024.
The timing and target of this investigation fit a clear and troubling pattern. Trump’s DOJ has already launched probes into former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Democratic members of Congress including Adam Schiff and Ilhan Omar. None have produced convictions. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously represented Trump in Carroll’s civil case, has recused himself from this investigation.
Carroll won two separate jury verdicts against Trump. The first awarded her $5 million after jurors found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. A second jury ordered Trump to pay $83 million in a separate defamation judgment. Trump has appealed both rulings.