The United States Supreme Court has once again rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s appeal regarding a $5-million US verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll. The jury found 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.
In a separate case, Trump is also appealing an $83.3-million US jury verdict for defaming Carroll during his first term as president when he denied her claims. Trump’s lawyers claim that presidential immunity protects him from Carroll’s accusations and that lower courts incorrectly ruled against him.
Carroll, a former advice columnist for Elle magazine, accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s. Trump denied the 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.
After the Supreme Court’s denial of Trump’s appeal in June, Carroll received nearly $5.63 million US from Trump, including the original civil verdict amount plus interest. Trump’s legal team raised concerns about the impact of the presidential immunity issue on both the $83.3-million US verdict and the 2023 ruling.
In a significant 2024 decision, the Supreme Court established that former presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken in office within their constitutional powers. The Carroll cases are civil lawsuits, not criminal proceedings.