The United States Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump’s appeal for a second time, upholding a $5 million verdict awarded to E. Jean Carroll. The jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation against the former magazine columnist. Trump’s legal team argued that the trial was unfair, but the court’s order, which was unexplained and unsigned, stood firm.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court is also deliberating Trump’s appeal regarding a separate $83.3 million jury verdict for defaming Carroll during his presidency. Trump’s lawyers claim that presidential immunity should shield him from Carroll’s allegations, and they contest the lower court’s decision on this matter.
The legal battle between Trump and Carroll began when she accused him of raping her in the 1990s. Despite Trump’s denial and assertion that Carroll lied, the jury in the $5 million case concluded that Trump had sexually abused and defamed Carroll but did not find evidence of rape as she alleged.
After the Supreme Court’s denial of Trump’s appeal, Carroll received nearly $5.63 million from him, including the original $5 million civil verdict plus interest. Trump’s lawyers raised concerns that the issue of presidential immunity in the $83.3 million case could impact the earlier verdict. It is worth noting that the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision granting former presidents immunity from criminal prosecution only applies to actions taken within their constitutional powers while in office, and the Carroll cases are civil lawsuits.
