In brief
A civil jury in New York found former President Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation against former columnist E Jean Carroll, awarding her $5 million in damages. After a protracted appeals period, a judge ordered Trump to comply with the judgment and the payment was released in September 2024, including accrued interest. Carroll’s legal team confirmed the award and praised the court’s decision, while Trump’s representatives criticized the ruling as a political “hoax.” The case underscores ongoing legal battles over Trump’s conduct and the application of defamation law.
Trump pays writer E Jean Carroll $5M in damages over sexual abuse case
US President Donald Trump has paid writer E Jean Carroll more than $5 million in damages, three years after a New York jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s lawyer, said the payout included the original $5 million judgment and accrued interest.
Trump had repeatedly sought to delay the payment, but a judge ordered him to comply last week.
Carroll, 82, alleged a physical assault in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s and a disavowal on Trump’s Truth Social site in 2022. The civil case was decided in 2023.
While awaiting appeals, the damages were held in a court‑controlled account. Trump’s legal team characterized the ruling as a “hoax” and a “witch hunt.”
