Supreme Court rejects Trump's final bid to block $5.6M Carroll payment

Key points

• The Supreme Court declined to reconsider its June 2026 decision to deny Trump's appeal of the $5.6 million judgment.
• Trump has already paid the $5 million principal plus interest to Carroll, as ordered by lower courts.
• Trump's legal team argued that the case should be reheard because it intersects with a separate appeal involving presidential immunity.
• A separate $83.3 million judgment for defamation remains pending before the Supreme Court, with a decision expected in the fall.
• The original dispute began in 1996 with allegations of sexual assault, leading to two separate civil suits filed by Carroll.

Background

This ruling concludes the legal proceedings regarding the 2023 verdict, which followed a 2022 lawsuit filed after New York expanded the statute of limitations for sexual abuse survivors. Prior to this final denial, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the judgment, and a federal judge ordered the release of escrow funds in July 2026 after Trump exhausted his initial appeals. The case is distinct from the 2024 defamation verdict, which remains under review.

How outlets are covering it

While USA Today and CNN focus on the finality of the $5.6 million payment and the court's refusal to rehear the case, NBC News highlights the unusual nature of the rehearing request. MS NOW provides a detailed breakdown of the legal arguments in the separate $83.3 million case, explaining how Trump's lawyers are attempting to link the two cases through the doctrine of presidential immunity. All sources agree that the $5.6 million judgment is now final, but they differ in emphasis: some view the rehearing denial as a procedural formality, while others see it as a strategic move to bolster the immunity defense in the larger defamation case.

Why it matters

The decision solidifies a significant financial liability for the president and sets a precedent for the limits of presidential immunity in civil defamation cases. It also clarifies that the Supreme Court will not entertain rehearing requests based on pending immunity arguments in separate but related cases, potentially influencing future litigation involving former or current officials.

What to watch

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the separate $83.3 million defamation appeal in the fall. Carroll's legal team is due to file a brief opposing review by August 31. If the court grants review, it will likely focus on whether Trump's 2019 statements constituted 'official acts' protected by immunity.