A US appeals court has upheld a jury’s decision ordering Donald Trump to pay $83.3 million (about Ksh.10.7 billion) in damages to author E. Jean Carroll for defamation, following her sexual assault allegations against him.
Why Did the Court Uphold the Penalty?
The January 2024 jury order included $65 million in punitive damages after jurors determined Trump acted maliciously in his repeated public remarks about Carroll. It also awarded $7.3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million to fund a campaign aimed at repairing Carroll’s reputation.
The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit stated, “We hold that the district court did not err in any of the challenged rulings and that the jury’s duly rendered damages awards were reasonable in light of the extraordinary and egregious facts of this case.”
The ruling confirmed that Trump’s actions warranted a “substantial financial penalty” to prevent further defamation.
What Did Trump Say About Carroll?
Carroll, now 81, went public with her allegations in 2019. Trump responded by dismissing her claims and saying she “is not my type.” During a deposition in 2022, Trump mistakenly identified Carroll in a photo as his ex-wife, Marla Maples, undermining his earlier denial.
In a separate 2023 case, another jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting Carroll in a New York department store in 1996 and later defaming her again in 2022 when he called her a “complete con job.”
How Has Trump Reacted?
Throughout the trial, Trump refused to testify and was not required to attend. Instead, he used his Truth Social platform to launch a series of personal attacks, not only against Carroll but also against the trial and the presiding judge, whom he described as “an extremely abusive individual.”
Despite the legal setbacks, Trump has leaned on the case to energize his political base, framing the rulings as part of a broader campaign against him while pushing his bid to return to the White House.
By Lucky Akinyi
