The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from Donald Trump to overturn a jury verdict regarding the sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll.
This decision ensures that a significant financial judgment remains enforceable, marking a legal defeat for the former president in a long-running civil battle over personal conduct and defamation.
The court's ruling, issued on June 24, 2026 [2], leaves a $5 million judgment in place [1]. Trump had sought to have the verdict tossed, but the high court declined to review the case. Court documents said the justices determined that the appeal was procedurally improper and did not merit a full review [3].
The original case centered on allegations of sexual abuse and subsequent defamatory statements made by Trump about Carroll. A jury had previously found him liable, leading to the multimillion-dollar award. Because the Supreme Court refused to intervene, the lower-court judgment now stands as the final word on the matter [3].
The ruling comes as the legal team for the former president continues to challenge various civil and criminal liabilities. However, the procedural rejection by the highest court in the land closes this specific avenue for avoiding the $5 million payment [1].
Legal analysts said that the court's refusal to hear the case is a common occurrence, as the Supreme Court is not required to take every case that is appealed to it. By designating the push as procedurally improper, the court avoided making a broader ruling on the merits of the abuse claims, while still upholding the existing verdict [3].
“The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from Donald Trump to overturn a jury verdict”
This ruling reinforces the finality of the civil jury's findings regarding sexual abuse and defamation. By refusing to hear the appeal on procedural grounds, the Supreme Court has signaled that it will not provide a legal shield for the former president against this specific liability, leaving him financially responsible for the $5 million award.
