President Donald Trump filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, seeking to overturn an $83.3 million defamation verdict awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll. The verdict stems from statements Trump made in 2019 while serving as president, in which he denied Carroll's allegations that he had raped her in a department store dressing room during the 1990s.
The filing challenges a previous ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the judgment. Trump’s legal team argues that the lower court failed to address whether he is protected by presidential immunity for comments made while in office. Additionally, the Justice Department filed a separate appeal, arguing that federal law should allow the U.S. government to replace Trump as the defendant in the case.
Lower courts previously determined that Trump had forfeited his right to claim presidential immunity because he did not raise the defense early enough in the litigation. Trump's lawyers characterized this as a "procedural contortion," stating that the comments were official acts because they addressed public concerns regarding his fitness for office. Carroll previously won a separate $5 million verdict against Trump for 2022 statements, a judgment the Supreme Court declined to review in June 2026.
The financial scale of the case involves an $83.3 million judgment, which is currently owed by Donald Trump to E. Jean Carroll. For Carroll, a former magazine columnist, the outcome determines whether she will receive this payment or if the verdict will be voided entirely. The Justice Department’s involvement also introduces the possibility of the U.S. government assuming the legal and financial burden of the defense, which would shift the case from a personal dispute to one involving federal resources and representation.
A decision by the Supreme Court will clarify the boundary between a president's private conduct and official duties. Beyond the civil liability, the outcome may influence a separate criminal investigation by the Justice Department into Carroll for alleged perjury, which was disclosed in May 2026. The Supreme Court has not yet set a date for oral arguments or a deadline for a ruling on this specific appeal.