Full Breakdown
Supreme Court Denies Trump’s Re-Consideration of $5 Million Carroll Verdict
8/17/2026, 8:01:31 PM
Core Event
On August 17 2026, the United States Supreme Court issued an unsigned order refusing President Donald Trump’s petition to rehear his appeal of a federal jury’s $5 million verdict in the E. Jean Carroll case. The denial leaves the judgment—finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation—intact. No justices dissented and no explanation was provided.
Background & Context
Writer E. Jean Carroll, a former Elle columnist, alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department-store dressing room in 1996 and later called her claims a “hoax.” A 2023 jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding $5 million. A separate 2024 trial resulted in an $83.3 million defamation judgment for statements Trump made in 2019 while president. Trump has denied the allegations and has argued that presidential immunity should bar liability.
Timeline
- May 9 2023 – Jury reads the $5 million verdict.
- June 29 2023 – Supreme Court denies Trump’s first petition for certiorari.
- July 8-9 2023 – Judge Lewis Kaplan orders and the court releases more than $5.6 million to Carroll.
- September 6 2024 – Trump appears before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on the $83.3 million case.
- August 17 2026 – Supreme Court denies Trump’s request to rehear the $5 million appeal.
Data & Statistics
Official Statements & Responses
Trump’s lawyers argued that presidential-immunity issues raised in the $83.3 million case also affect the $5 million judgment. The Supreme Court’s order contained no commentary, and the justices did not issue a dissent.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are pleased that the United States Supreme Court has declined again to hear this case,” — Lewis Kaplan, district judge.
What’s Next
The Court has not yet ruled on Trump’s appeal of the $83.3 million defamation judgment. That petition remains pending. Until it is decided, the $5 million judgment remains enforceable and fully paid.
