President Donald Trump scored another major legal victory Tuesday after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily halted the enforcement of the massive $83.3 million defamation judgment tied to writer E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit.
The ruling means Trump will not have to immediately pay the award while the case potentially heads to the U.S. Supreme Court — a significant development as the legal battle continues to draw national attention.
According to the court entry, the appeals court granted a request from Trump attorney Justin D. Smith to pause the payment until the Supreme Court has an opportunity to review the case or decline to hear the appeal. The court did require Trump to post a $7.4 million bond to cover possible additional interest costs during the process.
The decision comes after the same appeals court previously declined Trump’s request for a rare full-court review of the case following a three-judge panel’s decision to uphold the January 2024 verdict.
Smith argued there is a “fair prospect” that the Supreme Court could ultimately side with Trump, who has repeatedly denied Carroll’s allegations and described the claims as a politically motivated “made up scam.”
The original lawsuit stemmed from allegations Carroll publicly made in 2019, claiming Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump denied knowing Carroll and argued her accusations were politically motivated and tied to promoting her memoir.
In upholding the verdict earlier, the appeals court pointed to Trump’s continued public criticism of Carroll, including statements made during the trial itself. Meanwhile, Trump’s legal team continues challenging the judgment on several grounds, including claims of presidential immunity regarding statements he made while in office.
For many Americans, the case has become yet another example of the nonstop legal warfare surrounding President Trump — something supporters argue has been weaponized for years in an effort to damage the America First movement through courts, media pressure, and politically charged lawsuits. Funny how these cases always seem to appear when Trump is dominating headlines and reshaping national politics.
Still, Tuesday’s ruling gives Trump valuable breathing room and keeps the fight alive at the highest legal level in the country — exactly where many supporters believe it belongs.