In brief
The Supreme Court has declined a second attempt by Trump to overturn a $5 million civil verdict that declared he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll. The ruling keeps the jury’s unanimous decision final and barred from appeal. Carroll’s lawyer expressed relief that the court closed the case, while Trump has yet to comment on the decision. Trump had previously denied wrongdoing and argued that evidence presented at trial had unfairly impinged on jury perceptions. The court provided no explanation for its refusal, marking a rare reversal of a prior denial.
For the second time, the US Supreme Court has declined President Donald Trump’s bid to overturn a federal civil jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The court’s decision reaffirms the finality of the jury’s unanimous judgment.
Trump has long denied any wrongdoing, insisting that a judge wrongly allowed evidence that unfairly shaped jurors’ impressions. In July, he paid Carroll more than $5 million in damages after the civil case concluded and had publicly dismissed the allegation as a hoax.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, welcomed the ruling, saying the decree meant the jury’s findings are now unchallengeable in any court. The Supreme Court’s order, posted with no explanation, came after a June refusal to review the case.
Legal experts noted that Trump’s request for a second review is an unusual maneuver, as the Court rarely grants such appeals. The original trial stemmed from a 1990s incident in a Manhattan department store dressing room, followed by Trump’s 2022 defamation tweet that called Carroll “not my type.”
Trump remains silent on the latest decision but has publicly vowed to continue battling what he calls “weaponisation and lawfare.” His earlier appeals, including a challenge to the inclusion of Access Hollywood footage that portrayed him using crude language, were denied by federal judges in September.
By Bernd Debusmann Jr, White House reporter
Published 15 minutes ago
