A federal appeals court has rejected Donald Trump’s bid to overturn the $5m defamation and sexual abuse verdict in the E. Jean Carroll case. The ruling, issued on Monday by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, means the former president must now pay the damages awarded by a jury last year.
Carroll, an advice columnist, accused Trump of raping her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. A New York jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation in May 2023, ordering him to pay $2m for the abuse and $3m for defamation. Trump appealed, arguing that the trial was unfair and that as president he was entitled to immunity. The appeals court disagreed.
“The evidence at trial was sufficient to support the jury’s finding that Mr. Trump sexually abused Ms. Carroll,” the court wrote in its opinion. “We reject his arguments that the trial court erred in its rulings on evidence and jury instructions.”
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said the ruling sends a clear message: “No one is above the law, not even a former president.” In a statement, Carroll herself said: “It is time for him to pay the $5m that a jury said he owes me. It is time for him to face the consequences of his actions.”
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly called Carroll’s accusations a “hoax.” His legal team has not yet indicated whether they will appeal further, potentially to the Supreme Court. The deadline for such an appeal is 90 days.
This case is the second defamation suit Carroll filed against Trump. A separate federal trial in January 2024 resulted in a jury ordering Trump to pay $83.3m for defamation after he denied the assault. Trump has also appealed that verdict.
The legal battles are part of a broader trend of increased accountability for public figures accused of sexual misconduct. The #MeToo movement, which gained traction in 2017, has emboldened survivors to come forward, and courts have been more willing to hold powerful individuals responsible. Carroll’s case is particularly notable because it is the first time a former president has been found liable for sexual abuse.
From a scientific perspective, the ruling underscores the importance of evidence-based legal proceedings. The jury’s decision was based on witness testimony, including that of two women who said Trump also assaulted them, and a tape from “Access Hollywood” where Trump bragged about grabbing women’s genitals. While not a direct scientific question, the case highlights how society uses forensic evidence and testimony to establish facts, a process analogous to the peer-review system in science.
For climate scientists like myself, there is a parallel here with accountability for misinformation. Just as the courts are holding Trump to account for defamation, the scientific community holds climate deniers to account for spreading falsehoods that delay action on global warming. The physical reality of our warming planet does not care about political rhetoric, and neither, it seems, do juries.
The financial implications for Trump are significant. He is already facing hundreds of millions of dollars in judgments from various lawsuits, including a $454m civil fraud case in New York. His net worth, largely tied up in real estate, may be strained. However, he has posted bonds to delay payment pending appeals.
As Carroll prepares to collect her $5m, the message is clear: accountability comes, whether you are a reality TV star, a failed presidential candidate, or a former commander-in-chief. The appeals court’s decision is a victory for evidence, for survivors, and for the rule of law. The only question is whether Trump will ever truly acknowledge what a jury has already established.
