Supreme Court Rejects Trump Appeal in E. Jean Carroll Abuse Case

Trump’s legal team had sought to overturn the ruling, arguing that the trial judge improperly admitted testimony from two other women who accused the president of sexual misconduct decades ago. Attorney Justin D. Smith, whom Trump has since nominated to an appeals court, asserted that the evidentiary rulings were inflammatory and distracted from the duties of the presidency. Carroll’s counsel, led by Roberta Kaplan, maintained that the testimony was relevant and that the initial trial proceedings followed standard federal evidence rules.

This decision marks a definitive end to Trump's attempts to vacate the jury’s 2023 finding regarding the 1996 encounter at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan. While the president’s legal team characterized the outcome as a politically motivated "witch hunt," Carroll’s representatives framed the court's refusal to intervene as a final confirmation of accountability. The ruling leaves intact the $5 million award, even as Trump prepares to challenge a separate $83.3 million judgment stemming from a subsequent defamation trial.