A federal judge dismissed a defamation case by former President Donald Trump against E. Jean Carroll on Monday.

Trump had countersued Carroll after a grand jury found him guilty of sexual assault from decades ago and charged him $5 million in damages.

A federal judge tossed out former President Donald Trump’s countersuit against the writer who won a sex abuse lawsuit against him. The ruling shuts down, at least for now, Trump’s effort to turn the legal tables on E. Jean Carroll. https://t.co/zcETVxt3jQ

— The Associated Press (@AP) August 7, 2023

The details

"Trump alleged Carroll defamed him by telling CNN she thought in her head, 'Oh, yes, he did — oh, yes, he did,' after the jury found Trump not liable of her rape allegation," the Daily Caller reported.

"The judge ruled her remarks were 'substantially true' since the jury decided Trump 'digitally' penetrated her and didn’t use his genitalia, which New York law requires to prosecute with a rape charge," it added.

Judge tosses Trump’s defamation suit against writer who won sexual abuse lawsuit against himhttps://t.co/oqcExYnwBT

— Tommy Lightfoot Garrett (@LightfootInHwd) August 7, 2023

The attorneys speak

"Trump attorney Alina Habba said his lawyers would appeal 'the flawed decision' to dismiss his counterclaim," Politico revealed.

"Carroll’s lawyer, Robbie Kaplan, said she was pleased with the ruling and looking ahead to a trial scheduled in January in her defamation suit, which concerns a series of remarks that Trump has made in denying her sexual assault allegation," it continued.

Look at this news article from The Daily Caller: Federal Judge Tosses Trump’s Defamation Suit Against E. Jean Carroll https://t.co/4rpvvfYDjn

— Jeffrey A. Setaro (@jasetaro) August 7, 2023

The judge's words

“The difference between Ms. Carroll’s allegedly defamatory statements — that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her as defined in the New York Penal Law — and the ‘truth’ — that Mr. Trump forcibly digitally penetrated Ms. Carroll — are minimal,” Judge Lewis A. Kaplan wrote in Monday’s ruling. “Both are felonious sex crimes.”

“Indeed, both acts constitute ‘rape’" as the term is used in everyday language, in some laws and in other contexts, the judge added.

The move is the latest in a series of legal battles facing the former president, including recent charges against him over his involvement in the events at the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021.

In addition, Trump faces dozens of charges related to classified documents found in his Florida home last year. He may also soon face another indictment in Georgia related to 2020 election interference claims.

The tossed case is a loss for Trump but he continues to battle as he seeks a return to the White House, leading GOP contenders in his path to a rematch with President Joe Biden.