Personal lawyers for former United States President Donald Trump have appealed to the US Supreme Court to reject an $83.3 million defamation penalty awarded by a jury to writer E Jean Carroll. Carroll alleges that Trump sexually assaulted her in the Bergdorf Goodman department store, claims Trump has denied and called false.

Separately, representatives from the Department of Justice filed a similar petition this week, seeking to overturn the defamation award. Both Trump’s legal team and the DOJ argue that Trump's statements about Carroll fall within the scope of presidential immunity.

Federal lawyers stated in their filings, “Absent this Court’s intervention, the sitting President is facing nearly a hundred million dollars of personal liability for conduct that was well within the scope of his federal office.” This argument follows a 2024 case that extended "presumptive immunity" to actions considered "official acts" of the presidency, though the term remains largely undefined.

The legal disputes began in 2019 when Carroll accused Trump of damaging her reputation by claiming she lied about the alleged assault for personal gain. Trump renewed his accusations in 2022, prompting further legal action.

Previously, the US Supreme Court had rebuffed Trump’s appeal in the Carroll case, and Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5.8 million in damages after a failed appeal.

Sources