The United States Supreme Court rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s appeal of a $5 million verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll, a former magazine columnist who accused him of sexual abuse and defamation. The court’s decision marks the second time Trump’s appeal has been denied, following a jury finding him liable for the alleged incidents that took place in the 1990s.

Trump’s legal team argued that the trial was unfair, but the justices declined to reconsider their previous ruling in June. Additionally, the court is currently considering Trump’s appeal of an $83.3 million defamation verdict related to the same case.

The ongoing legal battle stems from Carroll’s accusation that Trump raped her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the 1990s. Despite Trump’s denial of the claims, jurors found him guilty of defaming Carroll in a social media post where he referred to her allegations as a “hoax” and a “con job.”

In a separate case, Trump’s lawyers have invoked presidential immunity as a defense against Carroll’s claims, arguing that lower courts incorrectly ruled against this protection. Despite the legal back and forth, Carroll has already collected nearly $5.63 million from Trump following the Supreme Court’s rulings.

The Supreme Court’s landmark 2024 decision granting former presidents immunity from criminal prosecution for actions during their term in office has added complexity to the legal proceedings, as the Carroll cases are civil lawsuits that could be influenced by the interpretation of presidential immunity.