Trump's legal battles over E Jean Carroll's $5M+ sexual abuse and defamation verdicts
Consensus Summary
The core story revolves around Donald Trump’s legal battles over two civil verdicts against E Jean Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist, who accused him of sexually abusing her in 1996 and defaming her after she publicly revealed the allegations. In 2023, a Manhattan jury awarded Carroll $5 million for sexual abuse and defamation, finding Trump liable for his actions in 1996 and his 2022 denial of the claims. Trump appealed the verdict, but the US Supreme Court rejected his appeal on June 29, leaving the judgment intact. The funds, totaling approximately $5.8 million including interest, were held in a court-controlled escrow account since June 2023. After the Supreme Court’s refusal, Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered the release of the money on July 9, despite Trump’s attempts to delay payment, including an emergency appeal to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals, which was rejected. Separately, a 2024 jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million for defamation related to Trump’s 2019 denial of her allegations, with the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals upholding this verdict in 2025. Trump’s legal team continues to appeal both cases, arguing presidential immunity and procedural errors, while Carroll’s lawyers accuse Trump of stalling to avoid accountability. Trump has denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated, and his supporters have framed the case as part of a broader ‘weaponization of the legal system.’
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- A Manhattan jury awarded E Jean Carroll $5 million in damages in 2023 for sexual abuse and defamation by Donald Trump, with the jury finding Trump liable for sexually abusing her in 1996 and defaming her in 2022.
- Trump deposited the $5 million jury award plus interest (totaling ~$5.8 million) into a court-controlled escrow account (Cris) in June 2023 while appeals were pending.
- A separate Manhattan jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in 2024 for defamation related to Trump’s 2019 denial of her allegations, and the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this verdict in 2025.
- Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, argued in court filings that Trump’s attempts to delay payment were ‘little more than yet another play for time’ and that he had ample time to retain new counsel after Smith’s nomination.
- Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll’s allegations, calling them a ‘hoax’ and ‘politically motivated,’ and has vowed to continue appealing both verdicts.
- Carroll first publicly accused Trump of raping her in a 2019 New York magazine excerpt from her memoir, *What Do We Need Men For?*, alleging the assault occurred in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Trump’s attorneys requested an extension to July 14, 2026, to respond to Carroll’s request for payment, arguing that new lead counsel Josh Halpern needed time to familiarize himself with the case.
- Judge Lewis Kaplan’s rejection of Trump’s motion was recorded as a ‘text-only order’ on July 4, 2026, with no formal written explanation.
- Trump’s lawyers claimed Carroll intended to give away the money, which could not be recovered if distributed, causing ‘irreparable harm’ to Trump.
- Trump’s legal team argued that the agreement with Carroll’s lawyers did not permit payment while a rehearing petition remained unresolved.
- Judge Kaplan’s July 9, 2026, memorandum stated: ‘In the last analysis, defendant has been stalling this case for years’ and called for Trump to ‘do equity’ and pay the judgment.
- Trump’s attorneys filed an emergency appeal to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals on July 8, 2026, to delay the payment, which was rejected the same day.
- The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the $83.3 million verdict in September 2025, rejecting Trump’s arguments for dismissal.
- Trump’s lawyers accused Carroll of wanting to ‘profit off the lawsuit’ and claimed she waited over 20 years to falsely accuse him ‘until after he became the 45th President.’
- The US Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation in May 2026 into whether Carroll committed perjury in testimony related to the two civil lawsuits.
- Trump’s lawyers argued that the trial judge ‘erroneously allowed testimony about multiple decades-old, unverified and unrelated allegations’ of sexual misconduct.
- The $5.6 million payment to Carroll was described as including ‘three years’ worth of interest’ on the original $5 million verdict.
- Trump’s spokesperson called Carroll’s lawsuit a ‘Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes’ and claimed the ‘American People stand with President Trump.’
- Carroll’s lawyers stated she plans to put the money into a retirement account, contradicting Trump’s claim she would give it away.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian states the $5.8 million was released on July 9, 2026, while ABC reports it was released on July 14, 2026, with the Guardian also noting a July 9 order directing disbursement.
- ABC claims the $5.6 million payment includes ‘three years’ worth of interest,’ while the Guardian does not specify the exact duration of interest accrual, only that it totals ~$5.8 million.
- The Guardian reports Trump’s attorneys requested an extension to July 14, 2026, while ABC does not mention this specific date for the request.
- ABC states Carroll’s lawyers had ‘no immediate comment’ after the July 9 payment order, while the Guardian does not mention this lack of comment.
- The Guardian notes Judge Kaplan’s rejection of Trump’s motion was a ‘text-only order’ with no written explanation, while ABC does not mention this detail.
Source Articles
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US appeals court rejects Trump’s latest bid to delay paying E Jean Carroll $5.8m
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