A judge has ordered that writer E Jean Carroll be paid over $5 million that Donald Trump owes her after being found liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The ruling was made by Judge Lewis Kaplan on July 8, 2026, mandating the release of the funds from a court-controlled account.
Background on the Case Against Trump
In May 2023, a New York jury awarded Carroll the damages following her claims that Trump had sexually assaulted her in the 1990s and later defamed her on social media. Trump has consistently denied these allegations, branding them as a hoax.
After the verdict, Trump deposited the $5.8 million into a court-controlled account while he pursued an appeal. On Wednesday, Trump's legal team sought to delay the payment to challenge the Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case.
Trump's Legal Challenges and Appeals
Following the ruling, a spokesperson for Trump's legal team stated, "The American People stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes." The spokesperson emphasized Trump's commitment to his agenda of making America great again.
Later on the same day, Trump filed an appeal with a federal court of appeals to contest the order to release the funds. This is not the first legal hurdle Trump faces; he also appealed a 2024 jury decision that found him liable for defaming Carroll in a separate instance, resulting in an award of nearly $84 million.
Implications of the Judge's Ruling
Judge Kaplan's order to release the funds does not specify when Carroll will receive the money. The judge had previously ruled that the evidence presented during the civil trial was appropriate, and a federal appeals court upheld the jury's verdict last year, rejecting Trump's claims of judicial errors.
As the legal battles continue, Carroll, now 82 years old, remains steadfast in her pursuit of justice. She accused Trump of attacking her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room and subsequently defaming her on Truth Social in a 2022 post.
- Trump owes Carroll over $5 million in damages.
- Judge Kaplan ordered the release of funds on July 8, 2026.
- Carroll's original claims date back to the 1990s.
- Trump has appealed multiple court decisions regarding this case.
🤖 This article was rewritten by Feed and Figures' editorial AI from a report originally published by BBC News. Facts and quotes are preserved from the original; the rewrite focuses on clarity and structure. For the unedited original, see the source link below.
