A series of recent court rulings has cleared the way for writer E. Jean Carroll to collect a $5 million judgment awarded against President Donald Trump. On July 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ordered the immediate disbursement of funds that had been held in a court-controlled account since 2023. This decision followed the Supreme Court’s refusal in late June to hear an appeal from the president, effectively ending his efforts to overturn the jury’s finding that he sexually abused and defamed Carroll in the 1990s.
Following Judge Kaplan’s order, Trump’s legal team filed an emergency request with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the payment. The appeals court rejected this request, maintaining that the legal process regarding the initial 2023 verdict had concluded. With accrued interest, the total amount now available for disbursement is approximately $5.8 million.
This case stems from a 2023 civil trial where a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation after he publicly denied Carroll’s allegations. Trump has consistently maintained that the claims are a hoax and has denied any wrongdoing throughout the litigation. His legal team has argued that the initial trial contained evidentiary errors, a claim that has been rejected by multiple levels of the federal court system.
While this specific judgment is now moving toward payment, it remains only one part of the legal conflict between the two parties. A separate 2024 jury verdict ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million in damages for a different defamation claim. That judgment is also being appealed by the president, and the legal proceedings for that case are expected to continue in the coming months.
For the public, these developments highlight the finality of the judicial process in this specific matter. As the courts move to release the funds, the focus shifts to the remaining litigation and the broader implications of these civil judgments. The resolution of this payment marks a significant milestone in a legal battle that has spanned nearly seven years.