Full Breakdown
Appeals Court Denies Trump's Request to Rehear E. Jean Carroll Defamation Verdict
4/30/2026, 4:05:53 AM
Core Event: Second Circuit Rejects Trump's Appeal
On Wednesday, a three-judge panel of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied President Donald Trump’s request to rehear his challenges to the defamation judgment in E. Jean Carroll’s case. The court rejected his bid to substitute the United States as a defendant and to invoke presidential immunity, finding arguments raised too late.
Background & Context: Litigation History
Carroll filed a suit in 2019 alleging Trump sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in 1990s. A 2023 jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding $5 million. In 2024 a second jury awarded $83.3 million for defamation after Trump denied the assault and called the allegations fabricated. Trump argued his statements were official acts protected by presidential immunity, a claim appeals court rejected.
Key Figures & Groups
President Donald Trump (defendant); author E. Jean Carroll (plaintiff); attorney Roberta Kaplan (representing Carroll); Trump’s legal spokesperson; Judge Denny Chin (appellate opinion author); the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court, reviewing the case.
Data & Statistics
2019 lawsuit filed; 2023 jury awarded $5 million; 2024 jury awarded $83.3 million; 2024 appellate denial.
Official Statements & Responses
Trump’s spokesperson claimed the case is a weaponized ‘witch hunt’ demanding dismissal. Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan said she was pleased with the appellate ruling and stressed Carroll’s wish for the case to end and justice to be served.
Criticism & Opposition
The spokesperson framed the litigation as unlawful political persecution, while Carroll’s team viewed the decision as validation of the jury’s findings.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The $5 million and $83.3 million verdicts address different claims, and the Supreme Court’s pending review leaves the final outcome unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The American People stand with President Trump in demanding an immediate end to the unlawful, radical weaponization of our justice system, and a swift dismissal of all of the Witch Hunts, including the illegal, Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes—the defense of which the Attorney General has determined is legally required to be taken over by the Department of Justice because Carroll based her false claims on the President’s official acts,” — Trump legal spokesperson
- “The fact of the matter is that no other defendant would be permitted to move to substitute the United States in his place, fifteen months after trial and the entry of judgment against him,” — Judge Denny Chin
- “E. Jean Carroll is eager for this case, originally filed in 2019, to be over so that she can finally obtain justice,” — Roberta Kaplan
- “The Court appropriately declined to convene en banc to revisit this issue.” — Judge Denny Chin
What’s Next: Potential Supreme Court Review
Trump’s team plans to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the $83.3 million judgment. The Court’s decision will determine whether presidential immunity shields a former president from civil liability for statements made while in office.
