WASHINGTON − The rejected for the second time an effort by to avoid paying more than $5.6 million to writer E. Jean Carroll for sexually abusing and defaming her.
The court on Aug. 17 declined to reconsider Trump’s appeal of a in a civil suit brought by Carroll.
Trump Carroll the $5 million judgment plus interest after the court first on June 29.
His lawyers fought the payment, arguing he deserved a chance to ask the to reconsider his request.
It’s rare for litigants to ask for a second look and even rarer for the court to grant one.
Trump’s lawyers said reconsideration was warranted because the case is connected to another appeal involving Carroll that they have asked the Supreme Court to hear.
In that case, a Manhattan civil jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million from Trump in 2024 based on the conclusion that Trump defamed her in 2019 when he first denied her allegations.
Trump’s lawyers have argued he should have immunity for his 2019 comments because he made them while serving as president.
“That use of official Presidential statements matters, because this Court has made clear that official Presidential acts may not be used as evidence to impose liability for other conduct,” his lawyers told the justices, referencing the court’s 2024 ruling that presidents can’t be criminally prosecuted for “official” acts taken by a president.
Trump’s statements were used against him in both trials, but Trump’s lawyers did not raise the immunity issue in their appeal of the first judgement. His lawyers said they focused on other arguments because the Supreme Court had not yet issued its 2024 decision about presidential immunity.