The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Donald Trump's appeal to overturn a $5 million judgment in favor of E. Jean Carroll, who accused the former president of sexually assaulting and defaming her. The court's decision, issued without explanation, leaves in place a 2023 jury verdict that found Trump liable for the alleged assault in a New York department store in 1996 and subsequent defamatory remarks.
Carroll, an 82-year-old former advice columnist, first detailed the allegations in her 2019 memoir. Trump has repeatedly denied the claims, calling them a "hoax" and a "con job." The jury awarded Carroll $2 million for the alleged assault and $3 million for defamation, which Trump appealed. A federal appellate court upheld the verdict in December 2024.
In a separate defamation case, another jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million in 2024. Trump has vowed to continue fighting the rulings, calling the cases "weaponization and lawfare."
Trump's legal team argued that the trial judge improperly allowed evidence of his alleged past sexual misconduct, including the infamous Access Hollywood tape and testimony from two other women who accused him of assault. Carroll's attorneys countered that the evidence was relevant and aligned with legal precedents.
The Supreme Court's decision means Trump must pay the $5 million judgment. The larger $83.3 million verdict remains under appeal, though the court's refusal to hear the initial case suggests limited avenues for further challenges.
Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, called the Supreme Court's decision a final affirmation of the jury's verdict. "His multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed, and today's ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions," Kaplan said.
Trump, meanwhile, criticized the ruling on Truth Social, calling the case "fake" and claiming it targeted the U.S. legal system. "This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for," he wrote.
The case was brought under New York's Adult Survivors Act, a 2022 law that temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving sexual assault allegations. Trump's legal team argued the law was "tailormade" to target him.
The Supreme Court's decision leaves Trump with limited options to avoid paying the judgment. Carroll is expected to receive the $5 million payment soon, as Trump previously deposited $5.5 million into a court-controlled account following the initial verdict.