President Trump Granted Delay in $83 Million Defamation Award Payment to E. Jean Carroll
President Donald Trump has been granted a delay in paying an $83 million defamation award to advice columnist E. Jean Carroll by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court agreed to Trump's request to postpone the payment until the U.S. Supreme Court reviews the case or rejects an appeal. Trump will need to post a $7.4 million bond to cover any additional interest costs, as requested by Carroll's attorney.
The 2nd Circuit previously denied Trump's request for a full court hearing to appeal a three-judge panel's decision upholding the defamation award. Trump's attorney, Justin D. Smith, argued that the Supreme Court may rule in Trump's favor, as he has consistently denied Carroll's claims of a sexual attack in a Manhattan department store in 1996, calling them a "made up scam."
The $83 million award to Carroll was issued by a jury that heard Trump's testimony and observed his behavior during the trial. The 2nd Circuit panel upheld the verdict, noting that Trump's attacks against Carroll intensified as the trial approached and continued during the trial itself. Trump is challenging the award on grounds of "absolute immunity" for comments made while he was president.
The jury's decision was based on a previous $5 million award to Carroll in 2023, which found that Trump had sexually abused her and defamed her in response to her memoir. Trump maintains that his comments about Carroll were politically motivated or aimed at promoting her book. The case will remain pending until the Supreme Court reviews it or rejects an appeal.
In conclusion, President Trump has been granted a delay in paying the $83 million defamation award to E. Jean Carroll by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, pending a review by the U.S. Supreme Court. The legal battle continues as Trump challenges the verdict based on claims of immunity and disputes the allegations made against him.