Trump sexual assault verdict dominates headlines
A New York jury ruled on Tuesday that Donald Trump sexually abused columnist E Jean Carroll in a department store changing room in 1996. The verdict legally brands the former US president as a ‘sexual predator’ – the first time such a ruling against a president has happened – but clears Trump of rape.
At the trial, sexual contact was defined as ‘any touching of the sexual or intimate parts of the person for the purpose of gratifying the sexual desire of either party.’
In the UK, the majority of papers focused on Carroll’s ordeal and the justice of the verdict; right-wing tabloids quite surprisingly (and perhaps embarrassingly) instead seemed to focus on how the outcome of the trial would (or would not) impact Trump’s bid to run again for president.
Unless otherwise linked, headlines are from print front pages on Wednesday 10 May 2023.
Trump sexually abused writer in 1990s, New York jury finds
The Guardian
Court orders Trump to pay rape accuser $5m damages
The Times
- The article notes that while the ruling is likely to “hamper his chances of winning crucial independent female voters”, a strategist nonetheless surmises that there is “nothing [Trump] can do” to deter the 25-30% Republican voters in the primaries.
Trump the sex attacker
Mirror
Trump explodes at ‘disgraceful’ verdict and claims he has ‘no idea’ who E Jean Carroll is
Trump sexually assaulted writer, US jury finds
The Telegraph
As jury sensationally finds he sexually abused writer and awards 5$m damages…
Is this the end of Trump’s new bid to be president?
Daily Mail
- The article leads with the apparent disappointment that the “ruling deals a potentially devastating blow” to Trump’s campaign to “retake the White House in 2024”
‘We’ve seen a constant witch-hunt of this man!’
US midterm Republican candidate for Arizona and supporter of Donald Trump, Kari Lake, reacts to Donald Trump being found guilty of sexually abusing E Jean Carroll. pic.twitter.com/AHpglnsbvH
— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 9, 2023
