The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear President Donald Trump’s appeal of the 2023 civil verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll and later defaming her. The decision leaves intact a $5 million judgment and effectively ends Trump’s attempts to overturn the original verdict through the federal court system.
Supreme Court declines review
The Supreme Court issued its decision without comment, as is customary when it declines to hear a case. No justice publicly noted a dissent, leaving in place the rulings of lower courts that had previously upheld the jury’s findings.
Trump had argued that the trial was unfair because jurors were permitted to hear testimony from other women who alleged similar misconduct, as well as evidence related to the recording commonly known as the “Access Hollywood” tape. Federal appeals judges rejected those arguments, concluding that the evidence had been properly admitted under applicable legal standards.
Background to the case
The civil case stemmed from allegations made by E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist for Elle magazine, who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a Manhattan department store dressing room during the mid-1990s. Trump consistently denied the allegation and publicly disputed Carroll’s account.
In May 2023, a New York jury concluded that Trump was liable for sexual abuse and for defaming Carroll through statements denying her claims. The jury did not find him liable for rape under New York’s legal definition applicable at the time, but awarded Carroll $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation.
Trump responds
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump criticised the outcome on his social media platform, maintaining that the case was politically motivated and describing it as a “fake case.” He has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout the proceedings.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, welcomed the ruling, saying it represented the final affirmation of the jury’s unanimous verdict and marked the end of Trump’s efforts to overturn the judgment.
Separate legal battle continues
The Supreme Court’s action applies only to the original $5 million judgment. Trump continues to contest a separate 2024 defamation verdict in which a jury ordered him to pay Carroll $83.3 million over statements he made in 2019 after she first publicly accused him. That case remains on a separate legal track.
Political and legal significance
The decision represents another significant legal setback for Trump, closing the door on his final appeal in one of the highest-profile civil cases involving a sitting U.S. president. While the ruling does not involve criminal liability, it leaves standing a jury’s findings that Trump sexually abused Carroll and subsequently defamed her, reinforcing one of the most consequential civil judgments of his political career.
Newshub Editorial in North America – 30 June 2026
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