NEW YORK (AP) — E. Jean Carroll, the advice columnist, has filed a request for President Donald Trump to pay her nearly $5.8 million, which includes interest, following a jury verdict that found Trump sexually abused her in 1996 and subsequently defamed her in 2019. This request was presented in Manhattan federal court and is the latest development in the ongoing legal battles between Carroll and Trump.
Carroll's legal team argued that Trump is improperly attempting to delay the payment from an escrow fund, particularly after the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal regarding the civil verdict from 2023. They reiterated that the total payment amount has reached approximately $5.8 million with accrued interest, and this should be expedited by the court. Additionally, Carroll's lawyers pointed out that Trump has resumed his defamatory remarks against her as discussions surrounding a further appeal to the Supreme Court continue.
On the matter of Carroll's payout request, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan has already agreed to expedite the process, mandating that Trump's legal representatives provide a response by July 7. Notably, Trump did not attend the trial where the jury reached its verdict after Carroll testified about the alleged sexual abuse that took place in the dressing room of a luxury department store in Manhattan during a chance encounter in spring 1996, which escalated from flirtation to violence.
Carroll, now 82, first brought attention to her allegations in 2019 when she published a memoir detailing the incident while Trump was still serving as president. Trump has repeatedly denied knowing Carroll, claiming her motives are tied to publishing her book and political aspirations. Following the Supreme Court's refusal to reconsider the case, Trump vowed on social media to continue contesting what he has branded a "Weaponization and Lawfare Case."
Shortly after Trump's online statements, his attorneys contacted Carroll's legal team, seeking to postpone the payment while potentially pursuing a review from the Supreme Court. Carroll's lawyers—Roberta Kaplan, D. Brandon Trice, and Maximilian T. Crema—countered this request, emphasizing that there is no valid reason for further delay, particularly since the Supreme Court did not indicate disagreements in their decision not to take up the case.
In their court filing, Carroll's legal representatives highlighted that she has already cooperated with multiple requests from Trump to defer payments owed to her. They emphasized that this cooperation has come to an end and stressed that it is now time for Trump to fulfill his financial obligation to Carroll.
Additionally, Trump is also appealing an $83 million defamation judgment awarded to Carroll by a different Manhattan jury in January 2024, which required the jury to consider the findings of the earlier verdict and solely establish the amount Trump should pay for his comments made while he was president. The ongoing legal entanglements have kept Carroll’s case in the public eye and continue to underline the contentious relationship between her and Trump.
The legal proceedings not only highlight issues of defamation and abuse but also exhibit the complexities entailed in high-profile cases involving public figures. Both parties are continuing to navigate the judicial landscape, with significant implications for public perception and political narratives at stake.
