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Former President Donald Trump posted a bond of nearly $92 million on Friday as he appeals the E. Jean Carroll defamation case.
The Context
Carroll filed a lawsuit against Trump in 2019, claiming that Trump accused her of lying when she came forward with sexual assault allegations. She accused Trump in 2019 of raping her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.
A jury in a civil trial found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation last May in another defamation case that Carroll filed in 2022. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million.
Trump has denied all wrongdoing in both lawsuits and claimed that they are politically motivated as he is the GOP front-runner in the 2024 presidential race. He continued to deny that he even knew Carroll, let alone sexually assaulted her, throughout a trial held in January to determine how much Trump would pay in damages in the 2019 lawsuit. The jury from the damages trial ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million.
What We Know
Trump's lawyers requested that the $83.3 million verdict be appealed. In order to prevent Carroll's lawyers from collecting the judgment in the meantime, he had to post a bond, according to MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin.
According to a court document filed on Friday, the former president posted a bond worth $91,630,000. The bond is greater than the judgment amount because, according to Rubin, typically, New York federal courts require 111 percent of the judgment amount to be posted.
"Due to the numerous prejudicial errors made at the lower level, we are highly confident that the Second Circuit will overturn this egregious judgment," Trump attorney Alina Habba told Newsweek via email on Friday.
When Newsweek reached out to Carroll's lawyer via email on Friday, a representative responded: "No comment."
Newsweek also reached out to Trump's campaign via email for comment.
Trump also tried to appeal the $5 million verdict from last May, but a federal judge upheld it last July.
The Views
Minutes after the $83.3 million verdict was given on January 26, Trump called it "absolutely ridiculous" and blamed President Joe Biden.
He wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: "I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party. Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!"
During an interview on ABC's Good Morning America, Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said while sitting alongside Carroll that she is "pretty confident" that they will be able to collect the $83.3 million "one way or the other."
"We might not get it right away. But one way or the other, he owns a lot of real estate. It can be sold. We will collect the judgment," Kaplan said.
What's Next?
Trump must also pay another $454 million by March 25 in a separate civil case brought on by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Judge Arthur Engoron found the former president liable for fraud last September, and in February, he ordered him to pay $355 million plus interest. Trump was also barred from doing business in New York for three years.
Update 3/8/24, 12:08 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba.
Update 3/8/24, 1:37 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
About the writer
Rachel Dobkin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on politics. Rachel joined Newsweek in ... Read more