Donald Trump is fighting a $5M judgment for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, as his legal team heads to federal appeals court on Friday. The Republican presidential nominee is attempting to overturn the decision made by a Manhattan jury in May 2023, which found him guilty of assaulting Carroll in a department store dressing room three decades ago. Trump was ordered to pay $2M for sexual abuse and $3M for defamation after repeatedly attacking Carroll’s character following her public disclosure in 2019.
Carroll had first revealed the assault in a New York magazine article, which excerpted her book What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal. In response, Trump accused her of lying and attempting to harm him politically. Carroll’s second civil trial, concluded in January 2024, resulted in an additional $83.3M verdict for continued defamation. This trial focused on financial penalties to prevent Trump from further tarnishing her reputation, as prior findings of sexual abuse were accepted as fact.
With the 2024 election in its final stretch, it remains unclear whether Trump will attend Friday’s court proceedings in person.
