Trump Seeks Supreme Court Intervention in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case

Two weeks after an attempt to evade a $5 million payout to writer E. Jean Carroll, President Trump has petitioned the Supreme Court regarding a separate defamation ruling, which requires him to pay $83.3 million. These judgments stemmed from civil trials in 2023 and 2024.

In the first trial, a jury found Mr. Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll during an encounter in the 1990s and for subsequent defamatory statements made in 2019. The second trial focused on denials he made during his presidency. He referred to Carroll as a ‘whack job’ and stated he had never met her. These assertions, made publicly and in court, were emphasized by Carroll’s legal team during the trial.

Citing this persistent defamation, Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, urged the jury to award sufficient damages to deter Mr. Trump from further defamation. Though he continued to deny her allegations, Carroll’s legal team remained resolute. On Tuesday, Trump’s attorneys contended an appeals panel failed to assess his claim of presidential immunity.

“This case marks the first instance of a president being held liable for actions undertaken in office,” stated Trump’s legal representatives. The Justice Department, now led by Todd Blanche, a former defense lawyer for Trump, agrees with his request for Supreme Court evaluation. They argue that under the Westfall Act, Trump’s statements were made as a federal employee from the White House, addressing press inquiries about his personal conduct.

While Carroll testified that a 1996 meeting at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan escalated into an assault, Trump maintains that he never met her and denies any misconduct. Attempts to reverse these verdicts have been dismissed by lower courts. Trump also seeks the Supreme Court’s reconsideration of its prior refusal to hear his appeal on the $5 million judgment, which Carroll has received with interest, totaling $5.6 million.

The accumulated interest on the $83.3 million judgment remains uncertain, as it is held in a court-managed account since 2024.

• Topics: E. Jean Carroll, Supreme Court, Donald Trump