In a recent ruling, a federal judge dismissed former President Donald Trump’s counterclaim in the ongoing defamation lawsuit filed against him by E. Jean Carroll. Judge Lewis Kaplan, presiding over the Southern District of New York, determined that Trump’s allegations, which accused Carroll of spreading false statements that harmed his reputation, lacked credibility.

This case follows a previous judgment where Carroll emerged victorious, securing a $5 million verdict against Trump for both sexual assault and defamation in 1996 and 2022, respectively. Despite efforts from Trump’s legal team to prevent their release, Judge Kaplan also granted Carroll’s lawyers the authority to deliver tapes of Trump’s deposition to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing, stating that he neither knows Carroll nor raped her. He has criticized the Justice Department for not defending him in this civil case, framing it as a part of a politically motivated pursuit against him. Furthermore, Trump has expressed discontent with the impartiality of the trial and the conduct of the judge overseeing the proceedings.

Given its substantial media coverage and legal scrutiny, this controversial and closely monitored legal battle continues to capture widespread attention.