The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear former President Donald Trump's appeal seeking review of the defamation and sexual assault case involving E. Jean Carroll, in which Trump was found liable.
On Monday, 29 Jun 2026 GMT+7, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider Donald Trump's appeal to review a civil case where he was found liable for defamation and sexual assault against author E. Jean Carroll, who is now 82 years old.
Back in 2023, a New York jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million in damages in a civil suit where she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s, and that he later posted on social media denying the incident, leading to additional defamation claims.
Trump has consistently denied the allegations, repeatedly claiming that the judge overseeing the civil case allowed improper evidence that influenced the jury's view of him.
In 2025, a federal appeals court upheld the jury’s verdict, stating there was no reason to restart the trial. Trump then petitioned the Supreme Court to intervene, but ultimately the Court declined to hear his appeal.
However, the Supreme Court did not provide any details regarding its decision to refuse the case, which is customary for the Court.
This represented Trump's last hope to overturn the unanimous jury verdict, meaning he must pay the damages awarded to Carroll by the court.
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll's attorney, said in a statement that the Supreme Court's decision “firmly confirms the unanimous jury verdict that President Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E. Jean Carroll.”
She added, “His repeated attempts to appeal have all failed, and today’s order ends his efforts to avoid accountability for his actions.”
Trump posted on Truth Social after the ruling that he will continue to fight what he called a “weaponized lawsuit and lawfare,” including “an absurd defamation claim with all the power and force at my disposal.”
“This case is really an attack on the United States and everything this country stands for, and such things should never happen to another president or future candidate,” Trump’s message read.
“New York State enacted a law retroactively reaching back decades just to 'get' me unfairly. It is a specially crafted law, and this injustice cannot be allowed to stand!”
In the petition to the Supreme Court, Trump's lawyers argued that Carroll's counsel should not have shown the 2005 “Access Hollywood” video to the jury, in which Trump is seen talking about groping and kissing women.
Trump’s comments on the jury verdict led to another jury ordering him to pay Carroll an additional $83 million for defamation. The federal appeals court rejected his appeal of that ruling last September.
Although the court found Trump liable for defamation and sexual assault, the jury acquitted him of the criminal rape charge under New York Penal Law.
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Source:bbc