Trump asks Supreme Court to overturn $83.3 million defamation verdict against E. Jean Carroll

Donald Trump has taken the $83.3 million damages case to the U.S. Supreme Court, aiming to overturn the ruling that found him liable for defaming author E. Jean Carroll.

According to filed documents, the former president claims that his statements from 2019, when he was still in office, are protected by presidential immunity and therefore cannot be subject to a civil trial. His legal team also cites a 2024 Supreme Court decision that significantly expands the president’s immunity for acts performed during his tenure.

The defense views this case as a troubling precedent, highlighting that for the first time a former president faces such a severe financial judgment for actions that, they argue, fall within the scope of official duties.

Trump’s request also includes another crucial point: he asks the court to consider whether the legal liability in this process should be shifted to the federal government, not to him as an individual.

The legal battle began when E. Jean Carroll sued Trump for his 2019 statements. At the time, he denied her accusations of sexual assault and called her story a fabrication to sell books. A jury ruled in favor of the writer, ordering Trump to pay $83.3 million, a decision later upheld by the appeals court.

The Supreme Court will decide this fall whether to hear the case. If a hearing is scheduled, a final resolution is expected within the next year.

Meanwhile, Trump continues to face another legal front, a separate case in which he has been ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation.