Federal Appeals Court Upholds $5 Million Verdict Against Donald Trump in E. Jean Carroll Case

A federal appeals court has upheld a $5 million verdict against President-elect Donald Trump in a case involving sexual abuse and defamation against magazine writer E. Jean Carroll. This ruling represents a significant legal setback for Trump as he prepares to take office.

The three-judge panel from the Second US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected Trump’s request for a new trial. The court ruled that key evidence presented during the trial, including testimony from other women who accused Trump of similar behavior and the infamous Access Hollywood tape, was properly admitted. The tape captured Trump making lewd comments about women, including his statement that it was normal for him to “grab [women] by the pussy.”

In the original trial held in May 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting Carroll in a dressing room of a New York department store in the mid-1990s. While the jury did not classify the incident as rape, they awarded Carroll $2.02 million for sexual assault and $2.98 million for defamation. The defamation charge stemmed from an October 2022 social media post in which Trump dismissed Carroll’s allegations as a “hoax.”

Carroll, a former advice columnist, initially came forward with her allegations in 2019, prompting a wave of public attention and a subsequent legal battle. Her case was bolstered by corroborative testimony and Trump’s own words in the Access Hollywood tape, which the court deemed relevant to establishing a pattern of behavior.

The appeals court’s decision marks a critical affirmation of the earlier verdict, reinforcing the jury’s findings and dismissing Trump’s legal challenges. This ruling could also carry political implications for Trump, whose legal troubles continue to intersect with his political ambitions.

E. Jean Carroll’s legal victory is seen as a milestone in holding high-profile figures accountable for misconduct, further amplifying the conversation around sexual abuse and defamation. For Trump, this ruling represents another legal hurdle as he prepares to navigate his return to the White House amidst mounting legal battles.