Trump and DOJ ask Supreme Court to toss $83 million defamation verdict in E. Jean Carroll case
Summary
President Donald Trump and the Justice Department have asked the Supreme Court to cancel an $83 million defamation award given to writer E. Jean Carroll, arguing he cannot be sued for statements made while he was president. This case relates to allegations Carroll made accusing Trump of sexual assault and defamation, and the courts are debating if presidential immunity applies.Key Facts
- E. Jean Carroll accused President Trump of sexual assault in 1996 and sued him for defamation after he denied the claim.
- A Manhattan jury awarded Carroll $83 million in damages in January 2024.
- The Justice Department argues that Trump, as a government employee, is protected from lawsuits over official duties by the Westfall Act.
- This is Trump’s second appeal asking the Supreme Court to reject large damage awards related to these cases.
- The Supreme Court earlier refused to hear his appeal regarding a separate $5 million verdict linked to similar issues.
- Carroll first publicly shared her accusations in a 2019 memoir.
- Lower courts have denied Trump’s attempts to overturn the $83 million verdict, but the payout is postponed pending Supreme Court review.
- Trump’s lawyers say this is the first case where a president faces personal financial liability for actions taken while in office.
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