Trump Seeks Supreme Court Review on Defamation Judgments

Two weeks after a previous unsuccessful appeal, former President Trump has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn an $83.3 million defamation judgment won by writer E. Jean Carroll. Earlier, in civil federal trials conducted in 2023 and 2024, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million and $83.3 million respectively for sexual abuse and defamation.

The first judgment found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll during an alleged encounter in the 1990s and defaming her in 2019. The second trial held him liable for statements made during his presidency, disparaging Carroll and denying the encounter. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, urged the jury for a sufficient award to prevent further defamation, yet Trump continues to refute the allegations.

This is the first case in our nation’s history in which a court has imposed damages liability on a President for his conduct in office, Trump’s attorneys wrote.

On these grounds, Trump’s legal team is arguing that the appeals panel made a mistake by not addressing whether he had presidential immunity under the Westfall Act. Todd Blanche, Trump’s former defense attorney now at the Justice Department, supports Trump’s request for Supreme Court consideration, asserting the statements were made as part of his official duties.

Kaplan has not commented on Trump’s recent filing. Carroll testified that the incident began as a chance meeting with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman in 1996 and escalated into an assault within a dressing room. Trump denies any wrongdoing or meeting Carroll.

Efforts by Trump to appeal these cases have so far been unsuccessful in lower courts. He has also requested the Supreme Court to revisit its refusal to hear his appeal of the $5 million judgment. Carroll received $5.6 million in total, accounting for interest. The interest amount on the $83.3 million remains undisclosed as those funds have been held by the court since 2024.