The United States Supreme Court has turned down U.S. President Donald Trump’s appeal for the second time, refusing to review a $5 million verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll. The jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming the former magazine columnist. Trump’s lawyers argued that the trial was unfair, but the justices rejected his request to reconsider their previous decision from June.
In a separate case, Trump is also appealing an $83.3 million jury verdict for defaming Carroll during his first term as president. His lawyers claim that presidential immunity protects him from Carroll’s claims and that lower courts erred in ruling against this defense.
Trump has been in a legal battle with Carroll since she accused him of raping her in the 1990s. The $5 million verdict stemmed from Trump’s statements in 2022, where he dismissed Carroll’s claims as a “hoax” and a “con job” on social media. The jury found Trump guilty of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll but did not confirm her rape allegation.
After the Supreme Court’s rejection of Trump’s appeal in June, Carroll received nearly $5.63 million from Trump, including the original $5 million verdict plus interest. Trump’s lawyers raised concerns about the impact of the presidential immunity issue on both the $83.3 million verdict and the 2023 case.
In a significant 2024 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for actions taken during their tenure. The Carroll cases are civil lawsuits and not criminal prosecutions.