Lawyers for Donald Trump have filed a request for additional time to pay a $5m civil judgment to magazine columnist E Jean Carroll, awarded in 2023 after a jury found Trump sexually abused her in 1996 and defamed her in 2019. The request comes days after the US Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal, and the payout has grown to nearly $5.8m with accrued interest.
Trump's Legal Team Cites Transition
In a new filing, Trump's attorney argued that his former lead counsel, Justin Smith, recently became a federal judge—a position to which Trump nominated him—and his new lead counsel, Josh Halpern, needs more time “to become completely familiar with the facts and procedural circumstances” of the case. The attorneys requested an extension of the deadline for a response to Carroll's payment request to 14 July, asserting that “the plaintiff faces no risk of material harm as a result of granting this request.” They noted that the judgment is secured by money held in escrow, including sufficient interest to cover any post-judgment accruals.
Carroll's Attorney Accuses Trump of Stalling
In response, Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, countered that Trump's request “appears to be little more than yet another play for time.” Kaplan highlighted that Smith was nominated to the court of appeals over five months ago, giving Trump “ample time to retain new counsel” and that he “should have been acting diligently to do that since at least February.” Last week, Carroll's lawyers formally asked the court to compel payment of the jury's damages.
Trump Denies Allegations, Vows to Fight
Trump has consistently denied Carroll's claim, calling it politically and financially motivated. After the Supreme Court rejected his appeal, he vowed to continue fighting what he termed a “Weaponization and Lawfare Case.” His attorneys contacted Carroll's lawyer soon after, seeking a delay while asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision.
Potential Next Legal Moves
Kaplan's filing hinted at Carroll's belief that Trump may pursue further legal maneuvers. She wrote that Trump “has made clear” he plans to appeal a second defamation judgment of $83m in favor of Carroll to the Supreme Court and seek a rehearing on the first case. “We can only assume that Defendant is seeking … to buy time so he can try to concoct some new basis to put off paying Plaintiff presumably in connection with his forthcoming petition and motion for a rehearing,” Kaplan stated.
Under another scenario, Trump could file an appeal joining the two awards, with the second raising questions of presidential immunity since it relates to statements he made about Carroll during his first term. Days before Smith left his role as Trump's lawyer to become a judge, he wrote to the Supreme Court that Trump intended to appeal the second case within the next month, suggesting the court might wish to consider the petitions together.
