In a ruling on Thursday, a federal judge in New York dismissed Donald Trump's plea for a new trial following a jury's ruling that awarded $83.3 million in damages to E. Jean Carroll, who had sued the former president for defamation. Carroll, an author and former advice columnist, testified during the trial that Trump's public statements led to death threats against her.
Judge Lewis Kaplan stated that the jury was justified in deeming the degree of vindictiveness in Trump's social media attacks on Carroll to be significant. The ruling highlighted Trump's use of his position as president to publicly denounce Carroll, implying that she was a liar driven by political and financial motives and threatening repercussions for speaking out.
This legal dispute stems from Carroll's allegation that Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room in 1996. A previous jury awarded Carroll $5 million in 2023, holding Trump accountable for sexual abuse and defamation. Although Trump was not found guilty of rape, he was deemed responsible for discrediting Carroll's claim. Carroll's attorney expressed satisfaction with the judge's decision, while Trump's legal team expressed confidence in appealing the ruling.