President Donald Trump seeks Supreme Court intervention to overturn $83.3 million defamation verdict from E. Jean Carroll
President Donald Trump is requesting the Supreme Court to intervene in a yearslong legal battle with writer E. Jean Carroll, arguing that he should not be held liable for an $83.3 million jury award. The verdict found Trump defamed Carroll in 2019 while in office, specifically regarding his repeated denials of her claim that he sexually abused her in a 1990s dressing room. Trump's lawyers argue that under the Westfall Act, the U.S. government should be able to substitute for him as the defendant, which would nullify the case since the government cannot be sued for defamation. They also contend that he should have presidential immunity for his official acts, citing a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that protects most of a president's public communications. While Carroll's legal team argues the judgment is final and the money has already been disbursed, the administration announced that the Department of Justice joined the administration's petition to pause the case. Trump's lawyers seek an emergency injunction to prevent Carroll from keeping the $83.3 million, claiming that a single damages judgment based on official acts will harm future presidents.