Appeals court upholds $5 million E. Jean Carroll verdict against Trump

A federal appeals court has upheld writer E. Jean Carroll’s $5 million civil judgment against President-elect Donald Trump.

A jury had awarded Carroll the sum in 2023 after finding Trump liable for sexual abusing her in the 1990s and then defaming her after she went public with her allegations.

Trump has denied the allegations and appealed the verdict, charging it was “grossly excessive” and should be tossed because of what he claimed were unfair rulings from the judge who presided over the 9-day trial.

A panel of 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges disagreed.

“We conclude that Mr. Trump has not demonstrated that the district court erred in any of the challenged rulings. Further, he has not carried his burden to show that any claimed error or combination of claimed errors affected his substantial rights as required to warrant a new trial,” their ruling said.  

Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, said in response to the ruling, “The American People have re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate, and they demand an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and a swift dismissal of all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded Carroll Hoax, which will continue to be appealed.”

Carroll attorney Roberta Kaplan said she and her client “are gratified by today’s decision. We thank the Second Circuit for its careful consideration of the parties’ arguments.”