US supreme court rejects Trump’s bid to appeal $5m E Jean Carroll verdict

US Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Bid to Appeal $5m E Jean Carroll Verdict

The US Supreme Court on Monday, June 29, 2026, declined to review a 2023 jury verdict that found President Donald Trump liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll. The high court issued a brief, unexplained order and noted no public dissents, leaving a $5 million civil judgment against Trump intact.

The ruling concludes multiple attempts by Trump to overturn the verdict. According to Roberta Kaplan, attorney for Carroll, the decision affirms once and for all the jury’s unanimous verdict and ends Trump's quest to avoid accountability for his actions.

Trump reacted to the decision on Truth Social, calling the ruling surprising and describing the proceedings as a Fake Case brought by a woman he claimed he had never met. He wrote that he would continue to fight the Weaponization and Lawfare Case against him with all of my power and strength.

Legal Battle and Evidentiary Disputes

The legal conflict began in 2019 when Carroll, a former advice columnist for Elle magazine, published a memoir excerpt alleging Trump raped her in the 1990s in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan. Trump has consistently denied these allegations and accused Carroll of lying to profit and cause political injury.

The $5 million judgment stemmed from a 2022 lawsuit filed under a New York state law providing a window for sexual abuse survivors to seek justice. This suit focused on an assault in 1996 and subsequent defamation, including 2022 social media posts where Trump called the claims a hoax and a con job. While the jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, it did not find that he raped Carroll.

In his appeal, Trump argued that the trial was unfair due to evidentiary rulings by US District Judge Lewis Kaplan. Trump's legal team challenged the admission of the following:

• Testimony from Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, two women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct decades ago.
• An excerpt from the Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump described lewd behavior.

Trump's lawyers, including Attorney Justin D. Smith, argued that allowing this evidence boosted Carroll's case despite a lack of direct evidence. They further claimed it was deeply damaging to the fabric of our Republic for a president to be distracted by decades-old, false allegations while performing his duties as Chief Executive.

A three-judge panel at the second US circuit court of appeals in Manhattan upheld the verdict in 2024. The appeals court ruled that the evidence was properly admitted and that any potential errors did not prejudice Trump's substantial rights.

Parallel Defamation Case

This decision is separate from another defamation suit filed by Carroll. In 2024, a different Manhattan jury ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages after finding he defamed Carroll in 2019 by claiming she was not my type and was motivated by politics.

Trump is currently appealing that larger award. While a federal appeals court upheld the $83.3 million judgment last September, a ruling in May stated Trump would not have to pay until the Supreme Court either reviews the case or rejects it. However, the court required Trump to increase his bond by $7.46 million to cover accruing interest.

Trump's lawyers intend to ask the Supreme Court to hear the appeal for the $83.3 million verdict, asserting absolute immunity for comments made while he served as president.

Wider Legal Context

The Supreme Court's refusal to hear the $5 million case follows a period of relative success for Trump at the high court. In 2024, the court granted him broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts. He also successfully fought a New York civil fraud penalty of over $500 million, which was thrown out by an appeals court.

Despite these victories, the court previously rejected Trump's bid to halt sentencing in his New York hush money case.

Trump's legal team characterized the Carroll cases as Liberal Lawfare and Democrat-funded travesty, maintaining that the American people demand an end to what they term Witch Hunts.