Trump addresses his history of "locker room talk" in newly released deposition video

“Historically, that’s true with stars,” Trump said when asked if celebrities can grab what they please

By Kelly McClure

Nights & Weekends Editor

Published May 5, 2023 8:05PM (EDT)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump during a round of golf at his Turnberry course on May 2, 2023 in Turnberry, Scotland (Robert Perry/Getty Images)
Former U.S. President Donald Trump during a round of golf at his Turnberry course on May 2, 2023 in Turnberry, Scotland (Robert Perry/Getty Images)

In a newly released video of Donald Trump's deposition for the E. Jean Carroll rape and defamation trial, he answers questions regarding the infamous 2016 "Access Hollywood" tape in which he commented that famous people can walk up to women and "grab them by the p***y."

"Well, historically that's true with stars," Trump said after being read an exact quote of his 2016 comments by Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan. "If you look over the last million years, I guess that's been largely true. Not always, but largely true. Unfortunately or fortunately."

When asked if he considers himself to be a star the former president answered, "I think you can say that, yeah."

Elsewhere in the video of the hour long deposition, which took place in October 2022 and was later played before a jury, Trump confirms that he made defamatory statements about Carroll after she publicly alleged that he raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman's dressing room in the 1990s. In proclaiming his innocence in the matter, Trump is seen and heard calling her a "nut job," a "whack job" and "mentally sick," along with other barbs. 

"She's accusing me of rape. A woman who I have no idea who she is," Trump says in the deposition immediately after attesting to Carroll not being his type. "The worst thing you can do, the worst charge . . . and it never took place." 


Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.


"I've had a lot of hoaxes played on me, and this is one of them," Trump said. When asked to detail other events in his life that he's referred to as hoaxes he details "The Russia Russia Russia hoax," "Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine" and "The Mueller situation."

 "This ridiculous situation that we're doing right now, it's a big fat hoax," Trump furthers. "She's a liar and she's a sick person in my opinion, really sick. Something wrong with her."

Watch video of the deposition here:


By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Nights and Weekends Editor covering daily news, politics and culture. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

MORE FROM Kelly McClure


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Aggregate E. Jean Carroll Trump