Writer E. Jean Carroll has received nearly $5.63 million from US President Donald Trump after a federal court approved the release of funds awarded in a 2023 civil case involving sexual abuse and defamation. The payment includes the original $5 million jury award along with accumulated interest, marking the first time Trump has paid Carroll damages in the long-running legal dispute.

The payment follows a series of court battles that have stretched over several years and remains one of the most closely watched civil cases involving the US president.

Court approves release of damages

The money was released from a court-supervised account after a federal judge authorised the disbursement despite objections from Trump’s legal team.

The amount covers the jury’s original $5 million award along with interest that accumulated while legal appeals were underway.

The payment represents the first financial compensation Carroll has received from Trump since the legal battle began.

Jury found Trump liable in 2023

A New York jury in 2023 found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll over an incident she said occurred in the mid-1990s at a Manhattan department store.

While jurors concluded that Trump was liable for sexual abuse and defamation, they did not find him liable for rape under the legal standards considered during the trial.

The verdict resulted in a $5 million damages award in Carroll’s favour.

Long-running legal dispute continues

The case has remained in court through multiple appeals.

Trump has consistently denied Carroll’s allegations, maintaining that the claims are false and politically motivated. His legal team has continued challenging the verdict through the US court system.

Last month, the US Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal against the $5 million judgment, allowing the lower court’s decision to stand.

Separate verdict adds to Trump’s legal liability

The $5.63 million payment is only one part of Trump’s overall legal liability in Carroll’s lawsuits.

In a separate civil trial held in 2024, another jury ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages after finding that his public statements made while serving as president further defamed Carroll.

Trump is expected to continue appealing that larger judgment.

Trump’s lawyers opposed payment

Before the funds were released, Trump’s legal team urged an appeals court to delay the payment.

They argued that Trump could face irreparable harm if Carroll used or distributed the money before the appeals process was fully completed. Carroll later indicated that the funds would be placed in an interest-bearing retirement account, though Trump’s lawyers maintained their objections.

The court nevertheless allowed the payment to proceed.

Carroll welcomes latest court victory

Carroll’s legal team described the payment as an important milestone in the case, saying it reflects the jury’s decision after years of litigation.

The latest development ends one chapter of the legal battle, although further appeals in the separate $83.3 million defamation judgment remain pending.

What happens next?

While Carroll has now received the $5.63 million awarded in the 2023 case, the broader legal dispute is far from over. Trump’s challenge to the separate $83.3 million verdict is expected to continue, meaning both sides could remain engaged in court proceedings for months to come.

FAQs

1. Why did E. Jean Carroll receive $5.63 million from Donald Trump?

The payment follows a 2023 jury verdict that found Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll. The amount includes the original $5 million award plus interest.

2. Did the jury find Donald Trump guilty of rape?

No. The jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation but did not find him liable for rape under the legal standards applied in the civil case.

3. Why was the payment delayed?

The payment was delayed because Trump appealed the verdict. The funds were released after the courts allowed the judgment to proceed.

4. What did the US Supreme Court decide?

The US Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal against the $5 million judgment, allowing the lower court’s ruling to remain in effect.

5. Is this the only amount Trump has been ordered to pay Carroll?

No. In a separate 2024 civil case, another jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in damages for additional defamatory statements.

6. Has Donald Trump admitted to the allegations?

No. Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll’s allegations and continues to challenge the court rulings.

7. What is the difference between the two verdicts?

The first verdict awarded $5 million for sexual abuse and defamation, while the second awarded $83.3 million for additional defamatory remarks made by Trump.

8. Will Trump continue to appeal?

Yes. Trump is expected to continue legal appeals regarding the larger $83.3 million judgment.

9. What did Trump’s lawyers argue against the payment?

His legal team argued that releasing the funds before all appeals were exhausted could cause irreparable harm if the money could not later be recovered.

10. What happens next in the case?

Although Carroll has received the $5.63 million payment, appeals related to the separate $83.3 million verdict are still expected to continue through the US court system.