Roberta Kaplan, the attorney representing writer E. Jean Carroll in her rape and defamation case against former U.S. President Donald Trump, argued on Monday that Trump's past comments about his treatment of women lend credibility to Carroll's allegations. During the civil trial's closing arguments in Manhattan federal court, Kaplan referred to the infamous 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape, which was presented during the trial. In the recording, Trump can be heard bragging about grabbing women "by the pussy" and how his celebrity status allowed him to get away with such behavior.

Kaplan stated, "He grabbed her, using his words, 'by the pussy.' He thinks stars like him can get away with it. He thinks he can get away with it here." Trump chose not to testify at the trial or present a defense, banking on the possibility that the jury would find Carroll's case unconvincing. Trump's lawyers were expected to give their closing arguments later on Monday.

Although the trial began on April 25, Trump has yet to make an appearance but mentioned to reporters in Ireland last Thursday that he "probably" would attend. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, unrelated to Carroll's attorney, anticipates the jury will begin deliberations on Tuesday.

Carroll, 79, filed her lawsuit against Trump, 76, last year, alleging that he raped her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996 and later defamed her by denying the incident. The former Elle magazine advice columnist is seeking unspecified monetary damages.

Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021 and is currently the Republican front-runner for the 2024 U.S. presidential nomination, has claimed that Carroll fabricated the allegations to boost sales of her 2019 memoir. The defamation claim revolves around an October 2022 post on Trump's Truth Social platform, in which he labeled Carroll's accusations a "complete con job," "a Hoax and a lie," and dismissed her as "not my type."

During her testimony, Carroll recounted the alleged assault, claiming that Trump pushed her against a wall, forced his fingers into her vagina, and then penetrated her with his penis. The trial featured a videotape of Trump mistaking Carroll for his ex-wife, Marla Maples, during a deposition.

Kaplan, Carroll's lawyer, asserted in her closing argument, "The truth is that E. Jean Carroll, a former cheerleader and Miss Indiana, was exactly Donald Trump's type. Donald Trump here is a witness against himself." Two of Carroll's longtime friends testified that she confided in them about the attack shortly after it occurred, and they believed her. The jury also heard from two other women who accused Trump of sexually assaulting them in separate incidents decades ago; Trump denies these allegations as well.

In a video deposition played for the jury last Wednesday, Trump rejected the rape allegations, calling them "the most ridiculous, disgusting story" and "just made up."