Former President Donald Trump is back in the spotlight as his legal team faces a fresh setback in their ongoing battle with writer E. Jean Carroll. A federal appeals court has rejected Trump’s attempt to overturn a verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Manhattan department store back in the 1990s.
Carroll’s allegations have been a hot topic for years. She claimed Trump assaulted her and later defamed her with hurtful comments. While Trump has denied the accusations, a jury found him guilty last year of both sexual abuse and defamation.
Trump’s lawyers argued for a new trial, saying the jury was influenced by “improper testimony” — including the infamous Access Hollywood tape where Trump bragged about grabbing women. They also claimed they weren’t allowed to ask Carroll important questions during the trial.
But the appeals court wasn’t convinced. The panel called Trump’s past behavior a “pattern of conduct” that matched Carroll’s story. In their ruling, they said, “There’s no proof the district court made any mistakes.”
E. Jean Carroll’s lawyer, Robbie Kaplan, celebrated the decision, saying, “We’re thrilled justice has been served again.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, called the case a “witch hunt” and promised to keep appealing. Cheung doubled down, claiming, “This is all politically motivated, but we’ll keep fighting.”
In another blow, a jury recently ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83 million in damages. Despite the legal challenges, Trump’s team remains defiant, vowing to move forward.