Trump Must Now Disburse $5 Million to Carroll Following Federal Court Order
Judge orders Trump to pay E Jean – While President Donald Trump participated in the NATO summit held in Ankara, Turkey, a federal judge in New York issued a decisive ruling on Wednesday directing the former president to settle his financial obligations to writer E. Jean Carroll. The order came after a jury previously found Trump responsible for both sexually abusing and defaming the author. Judge Lewis Kaplan mandated the disbursement of the $5 million judgment alongside nearly $800,000 in accumulated interest.
In his written order, Judge Kaplan emphasized that Trump had delayed proceedings for an extended period. The judge noted that a jury had unanimously determined Trump sexually abused Carroll and defamed her, awarding appropriate damages. That verdict had survived appellate review, with an en banc rehearing denied and the Supreme Court refusing to grant certiorari without any dissenting votes. Kaplan concluded that Trump should now “do equity” and fulfill his payment obligation.
The Origins of the Lawsuit
A New York jury reached its verdict in 2023, finding that Trump sexually abused Carroll in the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman department store during the mid-1990s. The same jury also determined that Trump defamed Carroll in 2022 when he publicly denied her allegations. As compensation, the jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages. This ruling represents only one portion of the financial obligations Trump faces regarding Carroll.
A separate but related legal proceeding determined that Trump owes Carroll an additional $83 million in damages. That larger award remains under review through the appeals process. The timing of Wednesday’s payment order follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month to decline hearing Trump’s appeal of the original verdict and judgment. The high court’s decision came with no dissenting opinions.
Legal Maneuvering and Final Resolution
Trump’s legal team attempted to postpone the payment through what they considered a long-shot strategy. They sought an administrative stay from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. However, the appeals court issued a brief one-page order on Wednesday evening rejecting Trump’s request for a delay. This rejection cleared the path for funds to be transferred to Carroll.
The Second Circuit had previously denied Trump’s initial efforts to appeal the case. Combined with the Supreme Court’s ruling, these decisions effectively closed the door on further delays. Carroll’s attorneys had petitioned a federal judge to compel Trump to pay, noting that the president’s lawyers indicated he might ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision.
“After four years of litigation across every level of the federal court system, it is time for this case to end,” Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan wrote in a court filing. “And under the Court’s Stipulation and Order, Carroll is now entitled to obtain payment of the money due under the judgment.”
The Money Moves
Three years prior to the current ruling, Trump deposited $5.55 million into the federal government’s Court Registry Investment System. This placement effectively held the funds in escrow throughout the lengthy appeals process. On Wednesday, Judge Kaplan directed the court clerk to transfer the money into an account controlled by Carroll’s legal representatives.
The actual transfer of funds may have already occurred, although the court docket does not explicitly confirm this. The payment represents the culmination of a legal battle that has spanned multiple court levels and several years of proceedings.
Trump’s Response and Future Plans
Following the Supreme Court’s rejection of his appeal, Trump took to his social media platform to announce his intentions. He stated that he would continue challenging what he characterized as a “Weaponization and Lawfare Case” against him. Trump specifically mentioned his intention to fight the defamation claim with “all of my power and strength.”
The writer E. Jean Carroll was photographed leaving the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal in New York City on September 6, 2024, as the legal proceedings continued. Meanwhile, sources have reported that the Department of Justice has launched a criminal probe related to Carroll’s case, adding another dimension to the ongoing legal situation.
President Trump was also photographed meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026. This international engagement occurred simultaneously with the federal judge’s order requiring Trump to pay Carroll the judgment amount.
