Donald Trump has been found liable for sexually abusing journalist E. Jean Carroll.

In a civil trial in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, the jury found the former U.S. president liable on charges of sexual abuse and defamation. He was ordered to pay $5 million (£4 million) in damages.

Trump, who was absent during the trial, labelled the verdict a "disgrace".

"I have absolutely no idea who this woman is," he wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. "This verdict is a disgrace - A continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time!"

In 2019, Carroll publicly accused the former president of raping her in the dressing room of a Manhattan department store in 1996.

The jurors rejected Carroll's rape claim and found Trump liable for sexual abuse. They also found him liable for defamation over the way he publicly denied her allegations.

According to Reuters, Trump plans to appeal the sexual abuse and defamation verdict.

"This case will be appealed, and we will ultimately win," said a spokesman for Trump.

In a statement, Carroll declared, "Today, the world finally knows the truth. This victory is not just for me but for every woman who has suffered because she was not believed."

Trump plans to run for president again in 2024 after announcing his campaign in November 2022.

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