Two weeks after losing a bid to avoid paying $5 million in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll for sexual abuse and defamation, President Trump has appealed to the Supreme Court to dismiss a separate $83.3 million defamation judgment against him. These judgments stem from civil trials in 2023 and 2024, where Trump was found liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s and defaming her after she went public in 2019. The second trial addressed Trump’s denials during his presidency, including derogatory remarks about Carroll. Trump’s legal team argues that he should have presidential immunity for statements made while in office, a stance supported by the Justice Department. Carroll’s attorney sought damages to deter further defamation. Despite Trump’s denials and efforts to overturn the verdicts, lower courts have upheld the decisions. The Supreme Court’s response to Trump’s appeal remains pending.
QUESTION: How might the outcome of this Supreme Court case influence future legal actions against public figures for statements made while in office?
Trump asks Supreme Court to overturn $83.3 million E. Jean Carroll case
