In the United States, on June 29, 2026, the Supreme Court made a significant ruling by declining to hear an appeal from former President Donald Trump concerning a $5 million verdict awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll. This verdict stemmed from a jury's decision in 2023, which found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. The case began when Carroll published an excerpt from her memoir in 2019, alleging that Trump had raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump has consistently denied these allegations, claiming they are false and politically motivated.
The Supreme Court's decision came after a lower court upheld the jury's verdict, rejecting Trump's arguments that the trial was unfair due to the introduction of evidence regarding his past sexual misconduct. Trump's legal team argued that the trial judge allowed testimony about unrelated allegations, which they claimed violated federal rules of evidence. Despite these claims, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supported the jury's findings, stating that evidence of Trump's behavior established a pattern consistent with Carroll's allegations.
In addition to the $5 million verdict, Carroll has won other lawsuits against Trump, including a separate case where a jury awarded her $83.3 million for defamation. This ruling was based on Trump's statements in 2019, where he denied Carroll's claims and accused her of fabricating the story to promote her book. The Supreme Court's refusal to hear Trump's appeal is seen as a major victory for Carroll, who has been vocal about her fight against Trump and the implications of his actions on women.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court also ruled in favor of Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, blocking Trump's attempt to fire her. This decision was significant as it emphasized the need for due process in such matters, allowing Cook to respond to Trump's claims against her. The court's ruling was a rare instance where the conservative-majority court sided with women in cases against Trump, marking a notable shift in the judicial landscape surrounding these high-profile cases.
