Lead

Writer E. Jean Carroll has received over US$5.6 million from President Donald Trump, fulfilling a 2023 civil verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming her, according to court records and her lawyers. The payment, representing the original US$5 million jury award plus interest, was released on Monday from a court-supervised account, five days after US District Judge Lewis Kaplan authorised the disbursement.

Coverage Comparison

The amount and timing of the payment have been reported consistently across multiple outlets, though the precise figure varies slightly. ABC Australia reported that Carroll collected nearly US$5.6 million, while Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post cited a judge's order authorising the payment of more than US$5.8 million — a figure that includes accrued interest. The BBC confirmed that Trump paid more than $5 million in damages. The variation reflects the difference between the amount initially ordered and the final total after interest.

All sources agree that the payment stems from a May 2023 jury verdict in New York, which found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the mid-1990s and for defaming her in a 2022 social media post. The funds had been held in escrow while Trump appealed, and the US Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal on June 29, clearing the way for the release.

Key Claims

  • Payment received: Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, confirmed on Tuesday that her client had received the damages payment. Court records show the money was transferred to Carroll's law firm on Monday, local time.
  • Amount: The payout represents the original US$5 million civil verdict plus interest, bringing the total to approximately US$5.6 million or US$5.8 million, depending on the source. ABC Australia reported nearly US$5.6 million, while Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post cited US$5.8 million.
  • Legal background: A jury in 2023 found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. Carroll accused Trump of attacking her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in the mid-1990s. Trump denied the allegation and called the case a "hoax." The US Supreme Court declined to hear Trump's appeal, and Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ordered the funds released.
  • Trump's response: Trump has repeatedly denied Carroll's claims and branded them a hoax. After Judge Kaplan's order, a spokesperson for Trump's legal team said: "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 appealed Judge Kaplan's order to the federal appeals court in Manhattan less than an hour after it was issued, and his lawyers later sought an emergency block on the disbursement, warning of "irreparable harm" if Carroll gave the money away. That emergency request was denied.
  • Additional context: ABC Australia reported that Carroll has won US$88.3 million in civil verdicts against Trump in total, including a separate 2024 jury award of US$83.3 million based on his original 2019 denial.

Perspectives

Carroll's legal team: Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, expressed satisfaction with the payment, stating: "We are pleased to report that she has received the damages payment." Earlier, in a court filing, she wrote: "This is the end of the line. It is time for him to pay Carroll."

Trump's legal team: Trump's lawyers have continued to contest the case, describing it as a "Democrat-funded travesty" and part of a "Witch Hunt." They appealed Judge Kaplan's order and sought an emergency block, arguing that Carroll's stated intention to give the money away could cause "irreparable harm" because it might not be recoverable. A lawyer for Trump declined to comment on the payment itself, according to the BBC.