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President Trump is fuming after the Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal in the E. Jean Carroll case.
He took to Truth Social to vent, writing: “Surprisingly, the Supreme Court declined to “review” a Fake Case brought against me by a woman I never met (Decades old celebrity photo line, standing with her husband, does not count!). I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength. This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for, and should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be!”
Trump’s insistence he’d never met Carroll was actually a part of her defamation case, and a jury sided with Carroll. But here’s what today’s decision actually means.
The Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal of the $5 million judgment after a jury found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. The court offered no explanation, as is typical when it declines to hear a case, but the result is clear: the verdict stands.
For Trump, it’s another legal defeat. For Carroll, it’s another reminder that even after prevailing before two juries and multiple appellate courts, she’s still being pulled back into one of the most uncomfortable chapters of her life.
In case you’ve forgotten how long this has stretched on, Carroll won her first civil case against Trump in 2023 and was awarded $5 million after a jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Months later, another jury awarded her more than $83 million after finding Trump continued to defame her by calling it a “hoax” among other things, when he was president.
Today’s Supreme Court decision only affects the $5 million verdict. Trump is still expected to ask the justices to review the separate defamation judgment. In that appeal, he’s arguing that because the statements at issue were made while he was president, the lawsuit should be barred under presidential immunity.
The sexual abuse case was never a criminal case. It was a civil one. The jury’s job was to decide whether Carroll had presented enough evidence to support her claims, and they concluded she had. A federal appeals court found no errors serious enough to overturn that verdict, and now the Supreme Court has declined to revisit it.
Yet, the legal battles continue, because the president insists on attempting to make an example of the people that cross him.
The Justice Department is reportedly examining whether statements Carroll made during the civil litigation about outside funding for her legal fees warrant further investigation. That is a completely separate matter from the sexual abuse case, and no criminal charges have been filed. Still, from Carroll’s perspective, it’s another chapter in a legal saga that refuses to end.
Whether you believe Trump or Carroll, one fact is undeniable: Carroll has spent years defending her credibility in court and in public. Multiple courts have now upheld the verdict in her favor. It’s time to stop revictimizing her.
Lindsey Granger is a NewsNation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary.
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