US court orders the release of Trump’s $5m payment to Jean Carroll
A United States federal judge has ordered the release of more than $5 million to former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, rejecting Donald Trump’s request to delay payment while he seeks further review from the Supreme Court.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday by Lewis Kaplan, dismissed Trump’s bid to prevent the funds from being released until the Supreme Court decides whether to reconsider his challenge to a jury verdict that found he sexually abused and defamed Carroll.
Lawyers representing Carroll were not immediately available for comment following the decision.
Trump has since filed a notice indicating that he intends to appeal the ruling.
A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said in a statement, “The American People stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes. President Trump will keep winning against Liberal Lawfare, as he continues to focus on his mission to Make America Great Again.”
Before the ruling, Trump’s lawyers argued that postponing the release of the funds until the Supreme Court rules on his request for reconsideration would not prejudice Carroll but would instead prevent significant harm to the president.
“Plaintiff faces only temporary delay, fully compensable by interest, unless judgment is overturned on appeal. That has been the status quo throughout the appellate process in this case, and it must remain so pending resolution of the petition for rehearing,” his lawyers wrote in the court filing.
“President Trump, however, faces unrecoverable loss: Plaintiff has repeatedly stated that she intends to give away all funds that she collects from him, and once those funds are distributed to third parties, they likely cannot be recovered,” they wrote.
Carroll’s legal team sought the release of the money after the Supreme Court last week declined to hear Trump’s appeal challenging the jury’s verdict. However, Trump on Monday asked the court to reconsider that decision.
The dispute is tied to one of two civil lawsuits Carroll filed against Trump.
He has also indicated that he plans to ask the Supreme Court to review a separate jury award of $83 million granted to Carroll after jurors found that he defamed her through statements made in 2022. Trump has until the end of the month to submit that petition.
