The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear former President Donald Trump's appeal of a $5 million verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The justices did not provide an explanation for their decision, allowing the judgment to stand.
A jury initially found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 and subsequently awarded her $5 million. A separate jury in 2024 awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million in damages related to defamation, stemming from Trump's public denials and attacks on her accusations.
Trump had sought to have the verdict reviewed by the Supreme Court. His legal team argued that the trial judge improperly admitted the "Access Hollywood" tape, where Trump is heard making lewd comments about women, and allowed testimony from other accusers. Carroll's lawyers countered that the evidence was relevant due to the similar nature of the allegations and that the judge's decisions aligned with legal precedents.
Following the Supreme Court's decision, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, expressing surprise and vowing to continue his legal battles. He characterized the case as a "Weaponization and Lawfare Case" against him and stated that it "should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be!"
Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, stated that the Supreme Court's decision "affirms once and for all the jury’s unanimous verdict that President Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E. Jean Carroll." She added that Trump's appeals have failed and the ruling ends his attempt to avoid accountability.
Trump's legal team issued a statement asserting that "The American People stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes." They reiterated Trump's commitment to his campaign.
Trump also alleged that New York State lawmakers created a law specifically targeting him to pursue the case, calling it an "Injustice."