The legal fight may be over, but the public battle is not.
Just hours after the Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal, President Donald Trump blasted the decision and again attacked writer E. Jean Carroll while calling the case unfair.
WHAT HAPPENED
On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Trump's appeal in the civil lawsuit brought by E. Jean Carroll.
The decision leaves in place a 2023 jury verdict that found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll during an encounter in a New York department store in the mid-1990s and for defaming her in 2022 when he denied her claims. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.
After the ruling, Trump posted a lengthy statement calling the case a "hoax" and "lawfare." He argued the case was really an attack on the United States and said it "should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be."
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS
The Supreme Court declined to hear Trump's appeal on June 29, 2026.
- The 2023 jury verdict and $5 million judgment remain in effect.
- Trump has continued to deny Carroll's claims.
- Carroll's attorneys said the ruling ends Trump's effort to overturn the verdict.
- A separate $83 million defamation judgment involving Carroll is still under appeal.
THE BIGGER QUESTION
The case is about more than one lawsuit. It raises questions about how far public officials can go when responding to misconduct claims and how civil courts hold powerful people accountable.
It also shows that legal battles can continue long after a jury reaches a verdict, especially when they involve a sitting president.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW
Trump must satisfy the $5 million judgment unless another legal development changes that outcome.
His separate appeal involving an $83 million defamation award to Carroll is still working its way through the courts.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
How soon will the $5 million judgment be paid?
- When will the appeal in the separate $83 million case be decided?
- Will Trump pursue any other legal options related to the Carroll cases?
Transparency notes
Published: Jun 29, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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Sources
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