Trump Makes Final Supreme Court Bid to Overturn $83M Defamation Verdict

DID Press: US President Donald Trump has launched his latest legal effort to overturn an $83.3 million defamation judgment in the case brought by writer and journalist E. Jean Carroll, arguing that presidential immunity protections should shield his statements from personal liability.

Trump’s legal team has filed a petition with the US Supreme Court, seeking review of lower court rulings that found his public comments about Carroll defamatory.

The case dates back to 2019, when Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s. Trump denied the allegation, calling it false and claiming that Carroll made the accusation to gain media attention and promote her book.

A federal jury in New York ruled in 2024 that Trump’s statements were defamatory and ordered him to pay $83.3 million in damages, including compensatory and punitive damages. The ruling was later upheld during the appeals process.

Trump’s lawyers argue that, based on a recent Supreme Court ruling regarding presidential immunity for official acts, his comments were made while serving as president and in response to media questions, making them part of his official duties and protected from personal legal responsibility.

However, Carroll’s legal team maintains that Trump’s remarks were personal responses to allegations against him and were unrelated to his presidential responsibilities, arguing that the previous court decisions should remain in effect.