In a crushing legal blow that’s making headlines nationwide, former President Donald Trump has just lost his appeal to overturn a $5 million civil judgment tied to writer E. Jean Carroll’s high-profile lawsuit. The federal appeals court has made it clear — the jury’s decision will not be undone, and Trump must face the consequences.
The case revolves around Carroll’s long-standing accusation that Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store dressing room back in the 1990s. Though Trump has continuously denied any wrongdoing, a civil jury found him liable for both sexual abuse and defamation in a 2023 verdict, awarding Carroll $5 million in damages.
Trump’s legal team didn’t back down. They argued that his statements about Carroll were made while he was serving as president and should be protected under presidential immunity. They also tried to convince the court that several errors were made during the trial — errors they believed were serious enough to toss the whole case out.
But the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wasn’t convinced by any of it. In their ruling on Thursday, the judges completely rejected Trump’s appeal, declaring there was no legal reason to disturb the jury’s original verdict. According to the court, Trump’s actions and statements were not part of his official duties as president, and therefore the case stands firm.
This ruling doesn’t just shut down Trump’s latest attempt to escape responsibility — it reinforces the message that even former presidents can be held accountable in civil court. For E. Jean Carroll, this is a powerful moment. She responded by saying she feels validated all over again and called it another win for women who’ve faced sexual abuse.
Trump, on the other hand, has continued to claim the entire lawsuit is politically motivated and insists he never met Carroll, despite a photo of them together surfacing during the trial. While this judgment doesn’t involve criminal charges, it still adds to Trump’s growing list of legal troubles as he pushes forward with his 2024 presidential campaign.
What happens next? Trump could try to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court — but legal experts say the high court is unlikely to get involved, especially after two lower courts have already upheld the judgment. For now, the $5 million ruling is locked in, and it remains another heavy weight on Trump’s legal and political future.
