In a significant blow to Donald Trump's efforts to delay payment, a US federal court judge has firmly rejected his latest bid to put off settling a $5.8 million (£4.6 million) judgment to E Jean Carroll. The ruling marks another setback for the former president in a long-standing civil case, where a New York jury found him liable for sexually abusing Ms Carroll in 1996 and subsequently defaming her when she publicly spoke about the attack in 2019.
US District Judge Lewis Kaplan issued a concise order on 4 July, dismissing Mr Trump's request to extend the deadline for paying the judgment. The funds are currently held in an escrow account, and Ms Carroll's lawyers will now seek payment or further explanation from the former president by the upcoming deadline. This latest development follows the US Supreme Court's decision not to review the 2023 jury verdict, which found Mr Trump liable for both the abuse and defamation.
Mr Trump's legal team had argued that they needed more time to familiarise Josh Halpern, their new lead counsel, with the case facts. However, Ms Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan (no relation to the judge), countered that this was merely a delaying tactic, pointing out that Justin Smith, Mr Trump's former lead counsel, had been nominated for a federal judgeship over five months prior.
As this case unfolds, British readers may wonder about its relevance. However, with £65.9 million ($83.3 million) of the total award coming from a 2024 Manhattan civil jury decision on defamation claims related to Mr Trump's presidential immunity, there are legitimate concerns that a potential combination of both cases could further delay payments and potentially nullify the judgments.
Throughout this legal saga, Judge Kaplan has issued several rulings that have reportedly angered Mr Trump. Following the initial 2023 jury award, he took to his Truth Social platform to post a critical statement about the judge's appointment during President Bill Clinton's presidency.
The latest development in Ms Carroll's case will be closely watched by observers both within and beyond the US. As British readers are aware, transatlantic relationships can have significant implications for UK trade, travel, security, and economy – all areas that may be indirectly affected by the unfolding drama surrounding this high-profile defamation case.