The Justice Department has opened a perjury investigation into whether longtime advice columnist E. Jean Carroll lied during her civil litigation against President Donald Trump, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The investigation centers on Carroll’s allegations that Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store dressing room 30 years ago. The person who confirmed the inquiry spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing federal investigation.
The federal prosecutors’ office in Chicago is leading the investigation. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has had no involvement in the matter due to his prior work as Trump’s personal defense attorney, the source said.
Lawyers for Carroll did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday. The investigation was first reported by CNN.
The probe is the latest in a series of investigations opened by the Trump administration’s Justice Department into perceived adversaries of the president. Last month, federal prosecutors secured an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. These consecutive actions have raised alarms among Democrats and former officials, who express concern that the Justice Department—an institution designed to make prosecutorial decisions independently of the White House—is being weaponized.
The legal battle between Carroll and Trump stems from a chance encounter at Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue store in 1996. Carroll alleged the interaction turned violent when Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights, and forced himself on her. Trump has consistently denied the allegations, calling them a “made-up scam.”
In 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million. The following year, a separate jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in a subsequent defamation case tied to Trump’s public and social media attacks against her.
A recent court entry notes that Trump is not required to pay the multi-million dollar judgment until the U.S. Supreme Court either reviews the case or rejects his appeal. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request from Trump’s legal team to delay the payment, though the court required Trump to post a $7.4 million bond to cover potential interest costs, fulfilling a request made by Carroll’s legal counsel.
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