Quick Summary
Writer E. Jean Carroll has finally received the damages she was awarded in her sexual abuse and defamation case against President Trump, three years after a jury found him liable. Court records show a disbursement of $5,625,005.48, the original $5 million jury award plus accumulated interest, was transferred to Carroll’s legal team on July 9. The payment came only after the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s request to hear his appeal in late June, and after Trump’s legal team made a last-ditch attempt just last week to halt the transfer entirely.
What Happened
The disbursement was ordered by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan following the Supreme Court’s refusal to take up Trump’s petition. Trump’s attorneys had tried once more to delay the payout, arguing it shouldn’t proceed until the Supreme Court decides whether to reconsider its refusal to hear the case, an unusual long-shot legal maneuver that rarely succeeds. Judge Kaplan rejected the argument, writing that even in the highly unlikely event the Supreme Court granted a rehearing, paying Carroll now would not cause Trump irreparable harm, and that it was time for him to pay the judgment.
Carroll, 82, celebrated the news on social media, and her attorney Roberta Kaplan confirmed in a statement that Carroll had received the damages a unanimous nine-person jury had awarded her. Carroll’s legal team, who worked on a contingency basis, will not take any fees from the award, meaning she is expected to receive the full amount. A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team pushed back, characterizing the case as part of a broader pattern of what they called “Witch Hunts” against the president.
Background
Carroll first accused Trump in a 2019 memoir of sexually assaulting her in the dressing room of a Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s. When Trump publicly denied the allegation and called her a liar, Carroll sued him for defamation. A federal jury in Manhattan found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation in 2023 and awarded her $5 million in damages.
The case didn’t end there. In a separate defamation lawsuit over additional statements Trump made after the verdict, including calling Carroll’s allegations a “fake story” during a CNN town hall, a Manhattan jury in January 2024 ordered Trump to pay an additional $83.3 million in damages. That larger award remains under appeal at a federal appeals court, even after lower courts have so far upheld it.
Why It Matters
The payment closes out one leg of a legal saga that has spanned more than three years and multiple rounds of appeals, including two separate petitions to the Supreme Court. It represents one of the clearest instances of a sitting or former president being held personally financially accountable in a civil sexual abuse case, and the fact that Trump ultimately exhausted his appellate options underscores how difficult it has been for him to overturn the jury’s findings.
The much larger $83.3 million defamation award still hanging over the case means this payment, while symbolically significant, may not be the final chapter in the Carroll-Trump legal dispute.
Expert & Official Reaction
Carroll’s legal team: Attorney Roberta Kaplan said a unanimous nine-person jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll three years ago, and that they were pleased to report she had now received the damages awarded as a result.
Judicial reasoning: Judge Lewis A. Kaplan wrote that it was time for Trump to “do equity” and pay the judgment, rejecting his argument that payment should wait on a Supreme Court rehearing decision.
Trump’s legal team: A spokesperson said the American people stand with Trump in demanding an end to what they described as politically motivated legal actions against him, referring to the case as a “hoax.”
Carroll’s plans: According to a court filing from her legal team, Carroll intends to use the funds toward her retirement, holding the money in an interest-bearing account until Trump’s request for a Supreme Court rehearing is formally denied.
Statistics & Context
- Total amount transferred: $5,625,005.48 ($5 million in damages plus roughly $625,000 in accumulated interest)
- Years since the original jury verdict: 3 (verdict reached in 2023)
- Carroll’s age: 82
- Separate, still-contested defamation award from a 2024 jury: $83.3 million
- Number of jurors in the original verdict: 9 (unanimous)
What’s Next
The much larger $83.3 million defamation judgment remains under appeal at a federal appeals court, meaning the broader legal fight between Carroll and Trump is not yet over. Trump has also filed a separate petition asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its refusal to hear his appeal of the sexual abuse verdict, though legal experts describe that as an unlikely path to success given how rarely such petitions are granted.
FAQ
How much money did E. Jean Carroll receive?
$5,625,005.48, combining the original $5 million jury award with roughly $625,000 in accumulated interest.
Why did it take three years to pay?
Trump repeatedly appealed the verdict, including two separate petitions to the Supreme Court, delaying the payout until the Court rejected his final appeal in late June 2026.
What was Carroll’s original allegation?
That Trump sexually assaulted her in the dressing room of a Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s, an allegation she first made public in a 2019 memoir.
Is this the end of the legal case between Carroll and Trump?
Not entirely. A separate $83.3 million defamation judgment against Trump remains under appeal at a federal appeals court.
Did Trump try to stop this specific payment?
Yes. His legal team filed a last-minute request asking a judge to halt the transfer pending a Supreme Court rehearing decision, but the judge rejected the request and ordered the payment to proceed.
Editorial Note: This article was prepared using publicly available information from international news organizations and official court records available at the time of publication. Facts may be updated as authorities release new information.
Sources:
The Washington Post – E. Jean Carroll gets $5.6 million from Trump verdict, court records show