The United States Supreme Court has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s appeal for the second time, upholding a $5-million US verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll. This decision stems from a jury finding Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming the former magazine columnist. Trump’s lawyers argued that the trial was unfair, but the justices declined to reconsider their previous ruling from June.
In addition to this case, the Supreme Court is also considering Trump’s appeal of a separate $83.3-million US jury verdict for defaming Carroll during his first term as president. Trump’s legal team claims that presidential immunity protects him from Carroll’s allegations and that lower courts erred in ruling otherwise.
E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist for Elle magazine, accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s, which Trump vehemently denied. The $5-million US verdict was based on Trump’s statements in 2022 where he dismissed Carroll’s claim as a “hoax” and a “con job” on social media. While the jury found Trump guilty of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, they did not conclude that he had raped her as she alleged.
After the Supreme Court’s denial of Trump’s appeal in June, Carroll received nearly $5.63 million US from Trump, including the original $5-million US civil verdict plus interest. Trump’s lawyers have raised concerns about the impact of the issue of presidential immunity on both the $83.3-million US verdict and the previous case. The Supreme Court’s landmark 2024 decision established full immunity for former presidents from criminal prosecution for actions taken during their presidency, although the Carroll cases are civil lawsuits.