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. The verdict 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 Supreme Court declined to reconsider their previous decision from June regarding the 2023 jury verdict related to allegations of rape in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the 1990s.
In addition to this case, the justices are also considering Trump’s appeal of a separate $83.3 million US jury verdict for defaming Carroll during his first term as president in 2019. Trump has consistently denied the claims and asserted that Carroll lied about the accusations.
The ongoing legal battle between Trump and Carroll began when Carroll published an excerpt from her memoir in 2019, alleging that Trump raped her in the 1990s. Trump has continued to deny these claims, calling them a “hoax” and a “con job” in a social media post in 2022.
Following the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear Trump’s appeal, Carroll received nearly $5.63 million US from Trump, which included the original $5 million US civil verdict plus interest.
Trump’s lawyers have raised the issue of presidential immunity in the case leading to the $83.3 million US verdict, suggesting it could impact the 2023 verdict as well. The Supreme Court previously ruled in a landmark 2024 decision that former presidents have full immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken during their presidency, but the Carroll cases are civil lawsuits.