Will This Explosive Documentary “Finish Trump Off”? Its Creator Thinks So

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Tired of hearing about Donald Trump? E. Jean Carroll, a writer and advocate for abuse survivors, is creating a documentary about her experience with him. The film focuses on an assault that occurred in the mid-1990s, an event for which Trump was found liable in two civil cases and required him to pay a significant amount of money. Carroll believes the documentary, titled ‘Ask E Jean,’ will be incredibly impactful, potentially dismantling Trump’s strong base of support and changing the way we talk about politics in America.

Ivy Meeropol’s film, Ask E Jean, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, but it may face challenges finding studio support, as films critical of Trump often do. While the filmmaker is hopeful, many political documentaries don’t have the influence their creators expect. Recent popular political documentaries suggest it will be difficult to significantly challenge or weaken the MAGA movement. Simply finding a distributor will be tough, and actually changing people’s opinions will be even harder.

Who Is E. Jean Carroll?


CNN

The lawsuit brought by E. Jean Carroll against Donald Trump stems from an alleged incident in the 1990s, where she claims he sexually assaulted her in a department store changing room. She publicly shared this account after Trump became president. In 2019, Trump responded by publicly dismissing her claims as false and accusing her of fabricating the story to promote a book, denying any encounter with her in 1995 or 1996. Following his presidency, Carroll filed two civil lawsuits against Trump – one for defamation and one for sexual abuse – and was ultimately awarded $83.3 million in damages. According to The New York Times, Trump’s recent appeal of the verdict was unsuccessful, bringing the years-long case closer to a final resolution.

It’s important to clarify that Donald Trump was found liable in a civil trial in New York, meaning he wasn’t convicted of a crime like rape. Criminal convictions require a different standard of proof. The case focused on defamation and assault, as reported by Newsweek. This distinction is significant – a similar misunderstanding cost Disney $16 million in a separate defamation case. The legal battle continues, and a documentary featuring Kathryn Hahn is being made about the trial. E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump, intends to continue pursuing the case and share her full story.

“A Natural Progression To Finish Trump Off”


NBC

Though finished, the documentary Ask E Jean hasn’t been released yet. Carroll told Variety it’s a passion project and a continuation of the work started in a previous film about Trump’s mentor, Roy Cohn, aiming to fully expose Trump. She plans to include unseen footage from her court deposition, which is expected to generate significant media attention – if the film is ever distributed. Carroll expressed feeling apprehensive given the current tendency to treat Trump with deference. According to director Meeropol, the documentary will also feature other individuals who allege they were harmed by Trump, illustrating a pattern of behavior demonstrating a disregard for ethical and legal limits.

My goal wasn’t just to highlight the attack itself. I wanted to share E. Jean’s complete story, so people could understand the circumstances that allowed it to happen, rather than dismissing it. It’s surprising, but even some people who consider themselves progressive don’t believe her account.

There are two major issues. So far, Carroll and Meeropol haven’t found anyone to distribute their film. Without a big distributor, it will be hard to get people to watch it. It’s unclear if they’re hoping for a cinema release, but a deal with a streaming service seems more likely. However, it’s unlikely Prime Video will be the one to pick it up. Showing Amazon’s flattering documentary about Melania Trump immediately after Carroll’s revealing and disturbing account would be quite a jarring experience.

We’ll Spoil the Movie Before It Releases


Overture Films

Could she really defeat Trump? It’s unlikely. History shows that even well-made, high-profile documentaries – like Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 and Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth – haven’t always been successful in bringing about real political change in the US.

While filmmakers like Michael Moore have gained recognition and a dedicated audience, their documentaries often generate discussion but haven’t led to significant, long-term changes in areas like gun control, healthcare, or job outsourcing. Other politically charged films haven’t fared much better – Steve Bannon’s documentary about Sarah Palin was widely seen as a comedy, and Alex Jones’ film attempting to prevent Barack Obama’s re-election in 2012 ultimately failed.

Documentaries can be incredibly impactful – Blackfish really demonstrates how information can be a powerful force. However, politics is much more complicated, particularly when people are deeply committed to their beliefs and identify strongly with certain leaders, no matter which side you’re on. While a jury might have found the arguments against Trump convincing, it’s unlikely to change the minds of those who already support him. He’s consistently been able to withstand criticism, thanks to a dedicated base of supporters who are firmly committed to their views.

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2025-11-02 23:03