President Donald Trump has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an $83 million defamation verdict awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll by a federal jury.
Bid to Overturn defamation Award
Trump’s petition seeks to challenge the decision reached after a separate jury found him liable for defaming Carroll, following his public denial of her sexual assault allegations. In his request to the Supreme Court, Trump argues he cannot be held responsible for statements he made while in office.
He also criticised the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit for declining to address the question of presidential immunity.
Presidential Immunity Claim
Trump is basing his challenge on a Supreme Court ruling from 2024 that addressed presidential immunity from prosecution and, in doing so, broadened the legal protections available to presidents for certain conduct.
Trump contends that the statements he made about Carroll’s allegations were part of his duties as president and therefore fall within the scope of official acts protected by presidential immunity. He further argues that the appeals court effectively failed to consider that protection.
The Second Circuit said Trump’s immunity arguments were raised too late. In an earlier ruling, Judge Denny Chin said presidential immunity had not been raised during the first stage of the case for a number of years, characterising it as omitted for an extended period.
Supreme Court Action on Related Verdict
Last month, the Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal of a separate verdict in Carroll’s case. That earlier ruling, which was not accompanied by any dissenting opinions, found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages.
Carroll’s lawyers said the money, together with interest, has since been transferred into her account.
Trump’s latest petition also includes a request aimed at changing who would be named as the defendant if his challenge succeeds. He asked the justices to allow the United States government to replace him as defendant, arguing that his comments were made in his official presidential capacity.
The Second Circuit rejected the substitution request as well, saying it was filed too late. Judge Chin’s opinion stated that allowing the change after trial and after the entry of judgment against Trump would not be permitted under the approach taken in the case.
What the Earlier Juries Found
The underlying disputes stem from findings by two separate juries. In 2023, a jury held that Trump was liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s in a dressing room at a Manhattan department store. The jury also found that Trump defamed her.
That defamation finding related to posts made by Trump in 2022 denying Carroll’s allegations. He described the claims as “a Hoax and a lie” and said, “This woman is not my type!”
In 2024, following another trial, a jury ordered Trump to pay $83 million in damages to Carroll over defamation linked to statements he made in 2019 when he denied that she had been sexually abused.
Carroll’s attorneys did not comment on Trump’s new petition to the Supreme Court.
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30 July 2026
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