The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear President Donald Trump’s appeal, allowing a $5 million civil judgment in favor of journalist E. Jean Carroll to remain in effect. The decision leaves intact a 2023 jury verdict that found Trump liable for sexually abusing and later defaming Carroll.
The case stemmed from Carroll’s allegation that Trump assaulted her in a New York department store in the 1990s. During the 2023 civil trial, a federal jury concluded that Trump was responsible for sexual abuse under New York law and for making defamatory statements that damaged Carroll’s reputation after she publicly shared her allegations.
By refusing to review the appeal, the Supreme Court did not rule on the facts of the case but allowed the lower court’s judgment to stand. As a result, the $5 million damages award remains enforceable
Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll’s allegations and has continued to criticize the verdict, while Carroll welcomed the court’s decision as another legal victory.
The case has attracted significant national attention because it involves a sitting U.S. president and one of the country’s most closely watched civil trials. Legal experts say the Supreme Court’s action effectively ends Trump’s challenge to this particular judgment, bringing one chapter of the lengthy legal battle to a close.