Donald Trump has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review an $83.3 million defamation verdict against him, escalating a legal battle that has captured significant attention in both legal and political circles. Trump’s appeal is centered around a defamation case initiated by journalist E. Jean Carroll, in which a federal jury awarded Carroll a substantial sum. Both compensatory and punitive damages were included, stemming from Trump’s public dismissals of Carroll’s claims that he sexually assaulted her in a New York department store in 1996. In response to these allegations, Trump characterized Carroll’s accusations as baseless and profit-driven attempts to market a new book.
Trump’s legal team argues that the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals erred by not considering whether Trump’s remarks were protected under presidential immunity. In their submission to the Supreme Court, Trump’s attorneys maintained that the lower court’s decision compromised presidential immunity, a significant legal precedent with national implications. They further contended that this case marks an unprecedented instance where a court has held a sitting president financially liable for actions performed while in office.
The 2nd Circuit had upheld the verdict, citing “ample evidence” that Trump showed reckless disregard for Carroll’s well-being, resulting in severe harassment and threats against her. The court denied an en banc rehearing, prompting the current appeal to the Supreme Court. Trump’s private lawyer, Robert Giuffra, noted that the unresolved status of presidential immunity in Trump’s statements should prevent the $83.3 million award from standing.
Parallel to Trump’s petition, the federal government has also urged the Supreme Court to consider whether the previous administration’s certification, which stated that Trump’s remarks were made in his capacity as president, should be reinstated. The certification was initially set forth by former Attorney General William Barr but later withdrawn in 2023 under the Biden administration. The government’s renewed involvement, via Acting Solicitor General Hashim Mooppan, challenges the 2nd Circuit’s refusal to recertify Trump’s statements as official acts, arguing the decision was fundamentally “illogical.”
This case is not the first encounter between Carroll and the Supreme Court. Earlier, the Court declined to hear a separate appeal linked to Trump’s liability for sexual abuse and defamation, wherein Carroll was awarded $5 million. On July 8, Trump sought a rehearing of this denial, though Carroll has already received her compensation from an escrow account according to PBS reports. Carroll’s responses to the current Supreme Court petitions are expected within 30 days, setting the stage for further legal deliberations.