USA10 November, 20251 min read
Trump Asks Supreme Court to Overturn $5 Million Verdict for Sexual Abuse and Defamation
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Trump asked the US Supreme Court to overturn a $5 million sexual abuse and defamation verdict. The verdict found Trump sexually abused and defamed columnist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s.
5 outlets told this the same way.
Trump's Legal Appeal Overview
Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to overturn or review a $5 million civil jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll.
“US President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to overturn a $5 million jury verdict in a civil lawsuit where he was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s.”
A federal appeals court upheld the verdict in 2024, finding no trial errors.
The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to hear the case and the appeal has not yet been formally docketed.
The petition follows Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to secure full-bench review at the appeals court earlier.
Legal Appeal and Trial Outcome
Trump’s appeal argues the trial was tainted by improper evidentiary rulings. His lawyers described some testimony as inflammatory and included accounts from other women alleging past assaults. The appeal also challenged the jury’s viewing of the 2005 Access Hollywood tape, in which he made lewd comments about women.
However, appeals courts upheld the verdict and stated that no trial errors occurred. These rulings directly undercut the claims made in the appeal.
Allegations and Denial Overview
The underlying case centers on Carroll’s allegation that Trump violently assaulted her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in 1996. Trump denies the allegations, citing a lack of physical evidence, eyewitnesses, or police reports. He argues that Carroll’s claims were politically motivated.
“The case centers on Carroll's claim that Trump violently assaulted her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in 1996, which Trump denies, citing lack of physical evidence, eyewitnesses, or police reports.”
The defamation finding arises from Trump’s 2019 denials and disparaging comments. WXLV also reported that Trump accused Carroll of fabricating the claim for profit.
Trump Legal Cases Update
Beyond the $5 million verdict, Trump was ordered to pay $83 million in a separate defamation case related to Carroll, which was upheld by an appeals court. Procedurally, CNN reports the Supreme Court has not decided whether to hear the $5 million case.
WXLV notes the appeal has not yet been formally docketed. The Indian Express adds that Trump earlier failed to secure full-bench review at the appeals court, illustrating the case’s evolving legal posture across forums.
