Trump's final appeal of E Jean Carroll sex abuse case rejected

June 29, 2026

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear President Donald Trump's appeal of a civil case in which he was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E Jean Carroll in the 1990s. A jury originally awarded Carroll $5 million in damages in 2023, finding Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store and later defamed her by calling her allegations a hoax on social media. Trump's legal team had argued that evidence, including the 2005 Access Hollywood tape, was improperly admitted at trial, but federal appeals courts upheld the verdict.

Who is affected

President Donald Trump (ordered to pay damages)
E Jean Carroll, 81-year-old former magazine columnist (awarded plaintiff)
Roberta Kaplan (Carroll's attorney)
The jury members who issued the unanimous verdict
Trump's legal team

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The Supreme Court's decision has been rendered, and Trump stated he would "continue to fight" but no specific current actions are detailed.

Why it matters

This ruling represents the final exhaustion of Trump's legal appeals in this case, establishing definitive accountability for a sitting president found liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The decision affirms that even a president cannot overturn a jury verdict through successive appeals, and it confirms Carroll's right to the awarded damages after years of legal proceedings. The case also demonstrates the legal consequences of public figures making defamatory statements about accusers on social media platforms.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC