Key facts
- A federal judge denied Donald Trump's request to delay payment of a $5.8 million defamation judgment to E Jean Carroll.
- The judgment stems from a jury's finding that Trump sexually abused and then defamed E Jean Carroll.
- Trump's attorneys sought more time due to a change in legal counsel.
- The judge issued a text-only order denying the motion.
- Trump must pay the judgment by Tuesday or file additional arguments.
Donald Trump's latest attempt to delay payment of a $5.8 million judgment for defaming E Jean Carroll has been rejected by a federal court judge. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the request in a brief order on July 4, meaning Trump must pay the sum by Tuesday or file further arguments.
The judgment follows a New York jury's 2023 conclusion that Trump sexually abused Carroll in 1996 and subsequently defamed her after she publicly described the assault in 2019. The US Supreme Court had previously declined to review the verdict.
Trump's attorneys argued that his new lead counsel, Josh Halpern, needed more time to become familiar with the case, citing the recent confirmation of his former lead counsel, Justin Smith, to a federal judgeship. Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, countered that the request was a tactic to delay payment, noting Trump had ample time to retain new counsel.
This case is separate from another defamation award of $83.3 million granted to Carroll by a Manhattan jury in 2024. Carroll's legal team has suggested the possibility of combining the cases, which could further delay payment of both judgments. Trump's former attorney had previously urged the Supreme Court to consider the petitions together, raising questions of presidential immunity related to statements made during Trump's first term.