Former President Donald Trump has lost his bid to delay paying an $83.3 million defamation judgment to writer E. Jean Carroll, according to Manhattan federal court Judge Lewis Kaplan. This means that Trump must either pay the full amount to Carroll by Monday or provide a bond or assets to cover the value of the judgment while appealing the jury’s verdict from January. The verdict found that Trump had defamed Carroll after she accused him of rape.
Trump had requested a delay in the judgment until after the court rules on post-trial motions in the case. However, Judge Kaplan denied this request, stating that Trump’s current situation was a result of his own delay in taking action. Kaplan noted that Trump had ample time since January to organize his finances and consider the possibility of bonding the judgment.
Trump’s lawyers argued that he would suffer “irreparable injury” if he had to post a bond for the full judgment because he would have to pay non-recoverable fees. However, Judge Kaplan rejected this argument, stating that the expense of ongoing litigation did not constitute “irreparable injury” in the relevant sense.
Carroll’s lawyers declined to comment on the matter, and Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, has not responded to requests for comment.
In addition to the Carroll case, Trump is also facing a $454 million judgment in a civil business fraud lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. As of now, Trump has not been required to pay this amount or provide collateral, but that could change if an appeals court refuses to stay the judgment.
Last year, Trump was found guilty of sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her in comments he made in 2022. He posted $5.6 million in cash as collateral while appealing the jury verdict that ordered him to pay her $5 million in that case. Both trials, last year’s and the most recent one involving Carroll, revolve around her claim that Trump raped her in the mid-1990s in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan after a chance meeting at the department store. Trump has consistently denied these allegations and accused Carroll of fabricating them for personal gain and political motives.
With the denial of his request to delay the judgment, Trump must now face the consequences of the defamation verdict. The decision by Judge Kaplan puts pressure on the former president to either pay the substantial amount or provide collateral. This latest development adds to Trump’s legal challenges, as he also faces a hefty judgment in a separate civil business fraud lawsuit. The outcome of these cases will have significant financial implications for Trump and could potentially impact his political aspirations as well.
