Overview

• A unanimous three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that President Trump failed to show any trial errors affecting his substantial rights, reinforcing the May 2023 jury’s finding of sexual abuse and defamation.
• The original verdict held that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll in a 1990s Bergdorf Goodman incident and defamed her by publicly denying her allegation in late 2022.
• Trump is separately appealing a January 2024 jury’s $83.3 million defamation award, invoking claims of presidential immunity and raising evidentiary objections in ongoing litigation.
• Carroll has praised the appeals decision and plans to allocate the affirmed damages through her newly established Foundation for Women’s and Immigrants’ Rights.
• The ruling highlights broader legal debates over presidential immunity and accountability for alleged personal misconduct in civil courts.