The defense
“Why didn't Carroll report it at the time?”
ContextualWhat the record shows
Most sexual assaults are never reported to police. Bureau of Justice Statistics survey data for 2023 show that only 46% of rape and sexual assault victimizations were reported. Carroll explained she feared retaliation and didn't believe she would be taken seriously, given Trump's prominence. She did tell two friends at the time, and both testified at trial. A jury evaluated her account, the corroborating witnesses, the evidence, and Trump's failure to testify or call any witnesses — and found her credible.
Last updated November 3, 2026
Other common defenses
- “He was never charged with anything.”
- “The allegations are unverified — just accusations.”
- “He banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago.”
- “He cooperated with investigators.”
- “The DOJ said the claims against Trump are false.”
- “Democrats are just using this to attack him.”
- “The Carroll case was thrown out / is still being appealed.”
- “Where can I read the Epstein files?”
- “The Epstein files didn't prove anything about Trump.”
- “A jury didn't specifically find him guilty of rape.”