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Court Denies Trump Appeal on E. Jean Carroll's $5.8 Million Payment

Court Denies Trump Appeal on E. Jean Carroll's $5.8 Million Payment

Is this verdict a landmark moment of accountability or a politically motivated miscarriage of justice?
Court Denies Trump Appeal on E. Jean Carroll's $5.8 Million Payment
Above: E. Jean Carroll at the IFC Center in New York City on May 21. Image credit: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

The Spin


Two separate juries found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, and every appeal has failed — the verdict is settled law. Trump even defamed Carroll again the day after losing the first trial, proving the jury got it right. No amount of money or legal maneuvering changes the fact that a unanimous jury heard the evidence and held him accountable.

Carroll couldn't name the year of the alleged incident, declined DNA testing and relied on unsubstantiated "propensity" witnesses with no corroborating evidence. Federal Rules 413-415 let plaintiffs stack juries with inflammatory accusers, gutting the accused's right to a fair trial. A verdict built on procedural shortcuts and character assassination; this is simply a political hit in legal garb.


Metaculus Prediction

There is a 0.1% chance Donald Trump will pay his settlement to E. Jean Carroll before Jan. 20, 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.



The Controversies



Go Deeper

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 7.4.1

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 7.4.1