New York: A federal appeals court in New York has affirmed the $83.3 million jury verdict against former U.S. President Donald Trump, ruling that his public denials of writer E. Jean Carroll’s sexual assault allegations were defamatory. The unanimous decision from the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump’s claim of presidential immunity, emphasizing that the damages awarded were proportionate to the seriousness of the allegations and the harm caused by his statements.
Carroll, an 81-year-old former Elle magazine columnist, accused Trump of assaulting her in the mid-1990s inside a Manhattan department store. In 2019, Trump publicly denied the accusation, stating Carroll was “not his type” and suggesting she had fabricated the story to promote her memoir. He later repeated these denials on social media in 2022, prompting a separate defamation ruling in May 2023 for $5 million, which was also upheld in June 2025.
In his appeal, Trump argued that a 2024 Supreme Court ruling granting him significant criminal immunity should extend to civil cases, contending that his statements about Carroll were made in his official capacity as president. He also claimed that the presiding judge, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, erred in striking portions of his testimony, including statements in which he argued he was defending himself, his family, and the presidency.
The appeals court dismissed these claims, finding no procedural or legal errors in the trial. The panel highlighted that the jury’s award was reasonable given the egregious nature of the defamatory statements and the enduring impact on Carroll. The court’s decision reinforces the principle that former presidents are not automatically immune from civil liability for actions taken before or during their presidency when unrelated to official duties.
Carroll, who has chronicled her experience in her memoir Not My Type: One Woman vs., welcomed the decision. Her legal team expressed confidence that the courts remain committed to upholding justice, viewing the ruling as a milestone in ensuring accountability, regardless of political stature.
Neither Trump nor his legal representatives immediately responded to requests for comment following the appeals court ruling. The case continues to attract national attention, symbolizing the intersection of politics, accountability, and civil rights in contemporary America.