Supreme Court Denies Trump’s Bid to Revive Carroll Sexual Assault Appeal
The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s bid to reconsider the Carroll sexual assault appeal on August 17, 2026.
Why it matters: This ruling ends Trump’s legal challenges in the Carroll case and reinforces legal precedents for public figures facing civil suits for sexual abuse and defamation. Legal professionals should note its impact on litigation strategy involving public allegations against prominent individuals.
- On August 17, 2026, the Supreme Court denied Trump’s request to reconsider its June refusal to hear his appeal in the E. Jean Carroll case.
- A jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million — which he paid after the Supreme Court’s June 2026 refusal.
- Carroll initially filed a 2019 defamation lawsuit, resulting in an $83.3 million award, followed by a 2022 battery and defamation suit under New York’s Adult Survivors Act that led to the $5 million verdict.
- Trump’s legal team has denied the allegations and described the cases as politically motivated, though the Supreme Court declined further review without public explanation.
On August 17, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to reconsider its prior decision from June 2026, which declined to hear former President Donald Trump’s appeal of the sexual assault and defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. This refusal effectively upholds a $5 million jury verdict finding Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll, a judgment he has paid.
Carroll brought two key civil actions against Trump. The first, filed in 2019, was a defamation suit resulting from Trump’s denials of her allegations; a jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in January 2024 in that defamation case. The second suit, filed in 2022 under New York's Adult Survivors Act, included claims of sexual battery and defamation, leading to the $5 million jury award upheld by the Supreme Court.
The Adult Survivors Act allows survivors of sexual offenses previously barred by statutes of limitations to bring claims. Carroll’s 2022 suit exploited this law to pursue the battery claim that supplemented her defamation allegations.
Trump has denied Carroll's accusations, with his legal team calling the lawsuits politically motivated. His attorney publicly described the trials as a "Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes," though the Supreme Court issued no public reasoning for refusing to hear the appeal.
The Court’s decision closes the chapter on Trump’s appeals in this case, finalizing significant damages awards for Carroll. It signals a judicial stance on civil claims involving public figures accused of sexual abuse and defamation, informing how such cases may be litigated going forward.
By the numbers:
- $5 million — jury award for sexual abuse and defamation upheld after Supreme Court refusal, August 2026
- $83.3 million — prior 2019 defamation verdict awarded to E. Jean Carroll
- August 17, 2026 — Supreme Court denied Trump’s request to revisit the appeal
Yes, but: While the Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal, it provided no public explanation, leaving some legal questions unresolved about the scope of liability for public figures in such civil cases.
What's next: Given the Court’s refusal, parties may focus on compliance with existing judgments and monitor related defamation and sexual abuse litigation affecting public figures under statutes like the Adult Survivors Act.