Key facts
- Donald Trump's lawyers are asking the Supreme Court to overturn an $83.3 million defamation judgment awarded to E. Jean Carroll.
- The appeal argues that presidential immunity should shield Trump from liability for comments made in 2019.
- The Justice Department plans to intervene under the Westfall Act.
- A Manhattan jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in January 2024.
- A separate 2023 verdict found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million, which has been paid.
President Donald Trump and the Justice Department are asking the Supreme Court to overturn an $83.3 million defamation verdict awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump's legal team argues that presidential immunity should shield him from liability for comments made in 2019 during his first term. The Justice Department plans to intervene under the Westfall Act, which protects government employees from being sued for actions taken within their official duties.
Trump's lawyers contend that the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling "cries out for this Court’s review" and called the damages "grossly excessive." They argue this is the first case in the nation's history in which a president has faced damages liability for conduct in office. Carroll, a longtime advice columnist, testified that Trump sexually assaulted her in 1996 and sued for defamation after Trump denied knowing her and accused her of fabricating the story for book sales.
A Manhattan jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in January 2024. This follows a separate 2023 verdict where another jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million, which has since been paid. The appeals court had delayed the payout of the larger judgment until the Supreme Court weighs in.