Trump's Final Appeal Denied in E. Jean Carroll Civil Rape Case: $5M Enforcement Begins

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President Donald Trump has hit a wall in his legal battle with writer E. Jean Carroll. The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected his final attempt to challenge a jury's finding that he sexually abused and defamed her, a decision that leaves a $5 million judgment in place and sets the stage for potential asset seizures if he doesn't pay up.

The court turned down Trump's request for what's called an en banc rehearing, where all the judges on the circuit would revisit the case. That move effectively locks in a prior ruling from December 2023, when a three-judge panel upheld the jury's verdict that Trump attacked Carroll in the 1990s and then defamed her when he called her a liar decades later.

That ruling also stood by the trial judge's decision to let jurors hear the 2005 "Access Hollywood" recording, in which Trump bragged about grabbing women without consent, as well as testimony from other women who accused him of similar behavior. The judges agreed that the evidence showed a pattern of conduct that supported Carroll's claims.

His Legal Lifeline? A Long Shot at the Supreme Court

Trump's team is now expected to try one last option: taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. They're likely to argue that the lower courts allowed unfair, prejudicial evidence and that the verdict could have broader implications for lawsuits against high-profile public figures. They might also revisit presidential immunity arguments, which courts have repeatedly rejected.

But here's the catch: filing a Supreme Court petition doesn't stop the clock. Unless Trump requests and is granted a legal stay and puts up a bond for the full amount (plus interest), Carroll's legal team will be free to begin collection efforts. That could mean freezing bank accounts, garnishing income, or placing liens on property.

The court is expected to issue its formal enforcement order within the next week or two.

$83 Million Still Hanging Over Him

And that's not the end of it. In a second trial this past January, another jury found Trump liable for defaming Carroll yet again and awarded her $83.3 million in damages. That case is still on appeal, but together, the two judgments add up to a staggering $88 million liability.

Legal experts say this latest ruling may set a wider precedent for civil sexual misconduct trials. By reaffirming the use of "pattern of behavior" evidence, the court has made it harder for powerful men to block past accusations from being aired in court.

Unless the Supreme Court steps in, and fast, Trump will be required to pay Carroll or face the real possibility of aggressive enforcement actions and a fresh wave of scrutiny that could ripple far beyond the courtroom.