US Appeals Court Upholds $5 Million Verdict Against Donald Trump in E. Jean Carroll Case

Court denies Trump’s request for a retrial, affirming the jury’s verdict in the high-profile sexual abuse and defamation case.

Washington DC [US], December 31: A US Appeals Court has upheld the $5 million jury verdict against President-elect Donald Trump in the E. Jean Carroll sexual abuse case, rejecting Trump’s request for a retrial.

According to CNN, Trump had challenged the jury’s decision, claiming that the judge had erred by allowing testimonies from two other women who had also accused him of assault. However, the appeals court ruled that any alleged judicial missteps did not significantly impact Trump’s rights, given the overwhelming strength of Carroll’s case.

The case stems from Carroll’s accusation that Trump sexually abused her in 1996 at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York. Trump, who has consistently denied the allegations, also faced defamation charges after publicly stating that Carroll was “not his type” and accusing her of fabricating the claims to boost book sales.

Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, expressed satisfaction with the ruling. “Both E. Jean Carroll and I are gratified by today’s decision. We thank the Second Circuit for its careful consideration of the parties’ arguments,” Kaplan stated.

In addition to this case, Trump is also appealing another verdict in which a jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million for defamation.

The lawsuit was filed under the New York State Adult Survivors Act, a law enabling survivors of sexual assault to pursue civil claims despite expired statutes of limitations.

Trump’s spokesperson and incoming White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded to the ruling, calling it part of ongoing “political weaponization” against Trump. “The American people have re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate, and they demand an immediate end to the political witch hunts, including the Democrat-funded Carroll Hoax,” said Cheung, promising continued legal appeals.

As the legal battles continue, the case remains a focal point in the broader conversation about accountability and justice at the intersection of politics and personal conduct.