A federal appeals court on Monday confirmed a $83.3 million ruling against former President Donald Trump for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump’s claim that he was entitled to presidential immunity when making statements about Carroll, stating his remarks demonstrated “reckless disregard for the truth.” The court also dismissed Trump’s argument that the jury’s damages award was excessive, calling the $18.3 million compensatory payout fair and reasonable.
The three-judge panel highlighted that Carroll faced widespread harassment after Trump labeled her a liar and claimed she was not his type. Over 85 million people viewed the statements, leading to thousands of attacks on social media and emails, including hundreds of death threats. The court further dismissed Trump’s contention that the $65 million punitive damages were unfairly high.
Trump’s legal team has indicated plans to seek a Supreme Court review of a separate civil case in which Carroll was awarded $5 million. The appellate judges also rejected Trump’s assertion that a recent Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity undermined their prior ruling, stating they remained “unpersuaded” by his arguments.
