Three years after a unanimous nine-person jury found former President Donald Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, she has received the $5 million damages payment awarded to her.

Carroll first publicly accused Trump in 2019, alleging that he forcibly inserted his fingers into her during a chance encounter while shopping at New York City's Bergdorf Goodman. The federal civil lawsuit went to trial in 2023, where Trump did not attend and his attorneys called no witnesses. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.

The awarded funds had been held in a court-controlled bank account pending appeals. The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Carroll to receive the payment by declining to hear Trump's appeal on June 29, 2026.

Carroll's attorneys argued that her allegations fit a pattern, and the case included evidence such as an "Access Hollywood" video clip. Carroll celebrated the payment, stating, "THIS WIN IS FOR EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD!"

The case has been covered extensively by CBS News Digital, with investigative reporter Graham Kates providing detailed coverage.

Sources