E Jean Carroll has secured a major victory in her long-running legal battle against Donald Trump, receiving more than £4.4 million (approximately $5.6 million) in damages awarded to her in 2023 for sexual abuse and defamation. The payment marks the culmination of over a year's worth of appeals, which Mr Trump had sought to delay despite being ordered by a judge to release the funds.
The timing of the payment is significant, coming just days after the Supreme Court refused to hear Mr Trump's appeal on 29 June 2026. This decision effectively ended any remaining avenues for him to block the disbursement of the money, which had been held in trust pending the outcome of his appeals. The funds were released from a court-held account on 9 July 2026, following a judge's order confirmed in a court filing on 14 July.
Roberta Kaplan, lead lawyer for Ms Carroll, welcomed the development, saying "Three years ago, a unanimous nine-person jury found President Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming E Jean Carroll. Today, we are pleased to report that she has received the damages payment the jury awarded her as a result of that verdict." Ms Carroll's team had been pushing for the release of these funds throughout the appeals process, highlighting the importance of upholding the original judgment.
The payment is separate from another significant award Ms Carroll received in 2024 for additional defamatory comments made by Mr Trump while he was president, totalling £65.7 million (approximately $83.3 million). The two cases underscore the UK's position as a key jurisdiction for transnational defamation claims and highlight the importance of holding public figures to account for their actions.
The funds were held in the court's registry investment system (CRIS), an arrangement agreed upon by both legal teams during the appeals process. This mechanism ensured that the money remained available to Ms Carroll if Mr Trump's appeals were unsuccessful, preventing further delay or withholding of payment.