The money will now be released to Carroll, along with the interest that has accrued.
After more than three years of litigation, appeals, and public contestation, a federal judge has ordered the release of $5.8 million to writer E. Jean Carroll — the sum a jury determined Donald Trump owed her for sexually abusing her in 1996 and then defaming her when she came forward. The Supreme Court's refusal to hear Trump's final appeal closed the last door in a long corridor of legal resistance. What began as one woman's account of a dressing room encounter three decades ago has now been inscribed, through the machinery of civil law, as an established finding of liability — a reminder that the arc of accountability, however slow, does sometimes bend toward resolution.
- A federal judge signed the order releasing $5.8 million from escrow after the Supreme Court refused last week to reconsider Trump's appeal — exhausting every remaining legal option.
- Trump's legal team had sought yet more time, asking the court to hold the funds while they petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider — a request Judge Kaplan denied outright.
- Carroll's attorneys argued their client had already absorbed years of litigation, public ridicule, and the repeated denial of her account by a sitting president.
- Trump's spokesperson responded to the ruling by invoking 'Witch Hunts' and 'Democrat-funded hoaxes,' making no mention of the jury verdict or the exhaustion of appeals.
- The funds, along with accrued interest, will now be transferred to Carroll — marking one of the most consequential civil judgments ever rendered against a former U.S. president.
On Wednesday, a federal judge ordered the release of $5.8 million from a court escrow account to E. Jean Carroll, finalizing a 2023 jury verdict that found Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing her in 1996 and defaming her when she went public with her account. The order from U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan followed the Supreme Court's refusal last week to hear Trump's appeal — a decision that closed off his last avenue to block the payment.
Carroll had filed suit in 2022, alleging Trump assaulted her in a New York department store dressing room following a chance encounter three decades earlier. Trump responded to her allegations with public statements calling them a 'con job' and a 'hoax,' and has consistently denied knowing her or that any assault took place. His legal team sought additional time before the funds were released, asking the court to hold the money while they petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider — a request the judge denied. The order also directs the release of interest accumulated in escrow since the verdict.
Carroll's lawyers argued she had already waited long enough, having endured years of litigation, public scrutiny, and the sustained denial of her account by a sitting president. In response to the ruling, a Trump spokesperson issued a statement calling the case part of 'Witch Hunts' and 'Democrat-funded hoaxes,' offering no acknowledgment of the jury's findings or the exhaustion of appeals. With no legal avenues remaining, the payment will now proceed — cementing the case as one of the most significant civil judgments against a former American president.
On Wednesday, a federal judge signed an order that will finally move $5.8 million from a court escrow account into E. Jean Carroll's hands. The money represents a jury's 2023 verdict finding that Donald Trump sexually abused Carroll in 1996 and then defamed her when he publicly denied her allegations. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan's decision came after the Supreme Court declined last week to hear Trump's appeal—a refusal that closed off the former president's last legal pathway to block the payment.
The case began in 2022 when Carroll filed suit in New York, alleging that Trump had sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room following a chance meeting three decades earlier. After leaving office, Trump made public statements about her claims, calling them a "con job" and a "hoax." He has consistently maintained that he does not know Carroll and that no assault occurred.
Trump's legal team had asked Judge Kaplan for additional time before releasing the funds, requesting that the court hold the money while they petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision not to take the case. That request was denied. The judge's order also directs the release of interest that has accumulated in the escrow account since the verdict was rendered.
Carroll's lawyers argued that their client had already waited long enough. She had endured years of litigation, public scrutiny, and the repeated public denial of her account by a sitting president. The legal process itself had become a form of prolonged contestation over the basic facts of what happened to her.
In response to the judge's ruling, a spokesperson for Trump's legal team issued a statement characterizing the case as part of what they called "Witch Hunts," describing it as "Democrat-funded" and referring to the Carroll cases as "hoaxes." The statement made no acknowledgment of the jury verdict or the exhaustion of appeals. Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing and maintains his position that the allegations are false.
With the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the appeal, there are no remaining legal avenues for Trump to challenge the verdict or prevent the payment. The money will now be released to Carroll, along with the interest that has accrued. The case stands as one of the most significant civil judgments against Trump, establishing legal liability for both sexual abuse and defamation in a court of law.
Citas Notables
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.— Trump's legal team spokesperson
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why did it take this long for the money to actually move? The jury decided this in 2023.
Because Trump's legal team kept filing motions to delay—asking for stays, appealing to higher courts, requesting reconsideration. Each step took months. The escrow account was essentially a holding pattern while the legal system worked through the appeals.
And now the Supreme Court said no. What does that mean exactly?
It means they declined to hear his appeal. They didn't rule on the merits of the case. They simply said they won't review it. That closes the door. There's nowhere left to go.
So Carroll gets the money plus interest. How much interest are we talking about?
The order doesn't specify the exact amount, but it's been sitting in escrow since 2023. Even at modest rates, that's three years of accumulation on $5.8 million. It's not trivial.
Trump's team is still calling it a hoax. Does that language matter at this point?
Legally, no. The verdict stands. But politically and rhetorically, yes—it signals to his supporters that he's not accepting the outcome, that he views the entire process as illegitimate. It's a way of maintaining a narrative even after the legal system has moved on.
What happens next? Can he appeal further?
No. This is the end of the line. The only remaining question is whether he actually pays, and at this point, the court has ordered the release. The money comes out of escrow.