Justice Department opens criminal investigation into Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll

The U.S. Justice Department has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused President Donald Trump of rape. Multiple news outlets, citing anonymous sources, say the probe is now underway, though details about the specific focus of the investigation have not been made public.

Carroll first came forward in 2019 with allegations that Trump assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s. Trump has denied the accusation. The Justice Department's decision to investigate Carroll is unusual, as it typically does not open criminal inquiries into accusers in civil cases. The move has drawn attention because the department had previously sought to defend Trump in a related defamation lawsuit, arguing he was acting within the scope of his job as president.