A federal appeals court in New York upheld an $83.3 million jury award against former President Donald Trump on Monday, finding he defamed writer E. Jean Carroll in comments made in 2019. The decision from the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed that the amount awarded to Carroll was justified given the evidence presented during the trial.
In their ruling, the panel of judges emphasized that the district court acted appropriately and that the jury’s award of damages was reasonable considering the “extraordinary and egregious” circumstances of the case. The court dismissed Trump’s argument for presidential immunity, asserting that making statements while in office does not shield him from accountability.
The appeals panel highlighted Trump’s ongoing public denials of Carroll’s allegations, even after an earlier jury determined his statements were defamatory. Trump’s comments, including declarations that Carroll was “not my type” and suggestions that she fabricated her claims to promote her book, continued even after the jury’s initial findings.
“In the days leading up to the trial, he repeated these attacks,” the judges noted, deeming his behavior “extraordinary and unprecedented.” Thus, they concluded, the awarded damages were neither unpredictable nor unreasonable.
Carroll, formerly a columnist, claimed that Trump sexually assaulted her in the mid-1990s, and she subsequently sued him under a New York law that allows survivors of sexual assault to come forward after the statute of limitations has lapsed. A jury previously awarded her $5 million after finding Trump liable for both sexual abuse and defamation, a decision that was also upheld by the appeals court.
This current case revolves around the remarks Trump made in denial of Carroll’s allegations in 2019. During the trial in 2024, Trump reaffirmed his denial, insisting he was defending himself, his family, and his presidency.
Evidence presented included video footage from Trump’s 2022 deposition, during which he called Carroll a “liar” and disparaged her as “sick.” The jury also considered a remark he made during a CNN town hall shortly after the first verdict when he labeled her a “whack job.”
The jury mandated Trump to pay $83.3 million in punitive and compensatory damages after determining he had defamed Carroll. He had previously posted a $92 million bond to cover the judgment.
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, expressed optimism about bringing the legal proceedings to a conclusion, stating, “We look forward to an end to the appellate process so that justice will finally be done.” She further commented on the court’s affirmation of Carroll’s truthfulness in its 70-page ruling.
Trump’s legal team responded, calling for the dismissal of what they termed “Witch Hunts” against him, asserting that the cases against him are politically motivated. They maintain that the Justice Department should take over the legal defense for Trump due to the nature of Carroll’s claims being based on his presidential actions.
Trump seeks a review from the full bench of the 2nd Circuit judges to allow Justice Department attorneys to represent him in arising appeals, including the possibility of reaching the Supreme Court. His claim of immunity has faced prior rejections in court.
As of now, Carroll has not publicly commented on the recent ruling. She published a book earlier this year titled “Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President.”
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