The United States Supreme Court has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s appeal for the second time 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 his request to reconsider their previous decision from June.
The court’s order, which came without explanation, is a rare instance of the Supreme Court denying a request for reconsideration. 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 presidency in 2019.
Trump’s legal team contends that presidential immunity should protect him from Carroll’s claims and that lower courts erred in ruling against this defense. The ongoing legal battle stems from Carroll’s allegations in her memoir that Trump raped her in the 1990s.
The $5-million US verdict was related to Trump’s statements in 2022 where he called Carroll’s claim a “hoax” and a “con job” on social media. Although the jury did not find that Trump raped Carroll, they concluded that he had sexually abused and defamed her.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Carroll collected nearly $5.63 million US from Trump, including the original civil verdict amount plus interest. Trump’s lawyers have raised the issue of presidential immunity in the context of the larger $83.3-million US verdict, which the Supreme Court may still consider.
In a significant 2024 ruling, the Supreme Court established that former presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken within their constitutional powers during their time in office. The Carroll cases, however, are civil lawsuits and not criminal proceedings.