A US federal appeals court has upheld a significant jury verdict against former President Donald Trump, affirming that he damaged the reputation of writer E Jean Carroll by denying her rape claim in 2019. The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected Trump’s appeal to overturn the $83.3 million verdict, which was awarded in January 2024.
The court’s decision follows a similar ruling on June 13, 2023, when it upheld a $5 million jury verdict against Trump for defamation and sexual assault related to his comments about Carroll. Carroll, an 81-year-old former columnist for Elle magazine, accused Trump of assaulting her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman department store in the 1990s.
Trump’s legal team argued that he should be granted presidential immunity in Carroll’s lawsuit. They contended that his statements about Carroll were made in the scope of his duties as president. Trump’s defense also referenced a US Supreme Court decision from July 2024 that they claimed provided him with substantial criminal immunity.
Despite these arguments, the appeals court maintained that Trump’s actions did not warrant immunity from Carroll’s civil case. The jury’s award includes $18.3 million for emotional and reputational harm, along with $65 million in punitive damages.
Carroll’s allegations gained public attention when Trump first denied her claims in June 2019, suggesting that she fabricated her story to promote her memoir, What Do We Need Men For? He reiterated this position in an October 2022 post on his social media platform, Truth Social. The jury found him liable for defamation but did not conclude that Trump raped Carroll.
In his appeal, Trump criticized US District Judge Lewis Kaplan for various legal decisions, including the exclusion of his testimony. He had claimed that his comments about Carroll were a defense of himself and his presidency.
Carroll recently published a memoir titled Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President, detailing her legal struggles against Trump. The ongoing litigation highlights the complexities of accountability for public figures and raises questions about the intersection of legal and political spheres.
As this case continues to unfold, it underscores the enduring impact of allegations against Trump and the broader implications for discussions surrounding sexual assault and defamation in public life.
