Former President Donald Trump has requested the Supreme Court to dismiss an $83.3 million defamation judgment awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll. This move comes two weeks after his unsuccessful attempt to avoid paying $5 million for a separate judgment concerning sexual abuse and defamation.

Background of the Judgments

The judgments against Trump arose from civil federal trials conducted in 2023 and 2024. In the first trial, the jury found sufficient evidence of Trump’s liability in sexually abusing Carroll during the 1990s and defaming her after she publicly shared her experience in 2019. The second trial focused on Trump’s denials made during his presidency, labeling Carroll as a “whack job” and asserting he never met her.

Legal Arguments and Presidential Immunity

Trump’s legal team claims an appeals panel overlooked whether he had presidential immunity when making these statements. They emphasized that this case is unique in U.S. history for imposing damages liability on a president for conduct during office.

The Justice Department supports Trump’s request for Supreme Court review. They argue under the Westfall Act that Trump acted as a federal employee when responding to allegations from the White House, during press inquiries questioning his suitability for office.

Details of Carroll’s Testimony

Carroll testified that a friendly encounter with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman in 1996 led to an assault inside a dressing room. Trump’s legal strategy to overturn the verdicts has faced rejection from lower appeals and district courts. Additionally, he seeks Supreme Court intervention for reconsidering their refusal to review the $5 million judgment. Carroll received $5.6 million including interest in that case.

The interest accrued on the $83.3 million judgment remains unclear, as it is held in a court-controlled account since 2024.