The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear Donald Trump’s final appeal against a civil defamation judgement brought by the writer E. Jean Carroll, effectively ending the former president’s legal challenge. The ruling upholds a lower court’s decision ordering Mr Trump to pay $5m in damages for defaming Ms Carroll in 2019 when he denied her allegation of sexual assault.
The court offered no comment, a standard procedure for denied petitions. The judgement is now final and enforceable, marking a significant legal defeat for Mr Trump who had argued that his statements were protected by presidential immunity. Ms Carroll’s legal team described the outcome as a vindication for survivors of sexual violence.
The case, one of several civil lawsuits against Mr Trump, underscores the limits of legal protections afforded to former presidents in matters arising from private conduct prior to office.
