The United States Supreme Court has once again turned down U.S. President Donald Trump’s appeal in a case involving a $5 million US verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll. This decision comes after a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming the former magazine columnist. Trump’s lawyers argued that the trial was unfair, but the Supreme Court rejected his request for reconsideration.
In a separate case, the justices are also considering Trump’s appeal of an $83.3 million US jury verdict for defaming Carroll during his presidency. Trump’s legal team contends that presidential immunity protects him from Carroll’s claims and disagrees with the lower courts’ rulings on this matter.
The ongoing legal battle between Trump and Carroll began when Carroll accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s. Trump has consistently denied these allegations, calling them a “hoax” and a “con job.” The $5 million US verdict stemmed from Trump’s statements in 2022, where he dismissed Carroll’s claims on social media. Although the jury did not find that Trump had raped Carroll as she alleged, they did determine that he had sexually abused and defamed her.
After the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear Trump’s appeal in June, Carroll received nearly $5.63 million US from Trump, including the original $5 million US verdict plus interest. Trump’s lawyers have raised concerns about how the issue of presidential immunity in the $83.3 million US verdict case could impact the previous ruling. The Supreme Court previously established that former presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken during their presidency, but the Carroll cases are civil lawsuits.