Former President Donald Trump just got a financial reprieve. He does not have to pay $83 million to writer E. Jean Carroll — at least not yet.
A federal appeals court ruled this week that Trump doesn’t need to pay the massive defamation award until the Supreme Court either reviews the case or decides to pass on it. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York issued the order Monday after Trump asked it to pause its earlier ruling denying him a chance to challenge the defamation award before the full appeals court.
The decision is not a victory on the merits. It is a pause. But for Trump, who has been fighting this case for years, any delay is welcome.
The Conditions of the Pause
The court granted Trump’s request to pause the payment requirement, citing no objection from Carroll — as long as Trump agreed to raise the bond by $7.46 million to account for interest that would accrue on her award during further legal proceedings that are expected to extend to the Supreme Court.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, told NBC News in a statement: “We are pleased that the Second Circuit conditioned the stay on President Trump posting a bond of nearly $100 million,” citing the earlier increase Trump already posted to bring the amount owed to over $91 million prior to Monday’s order.
Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the appeals court decision.
The numbers are staggering. Even with the pause, Trump is still required to post a bond of nearly $100 million. That is not a payment to Carroll. It is a guarantee that the money will be available if he loses his appeal. But it is still a significant financial commitment.
The Legal Strategy
Trump’s attorneys are seeking to invoke a federal statute to swap him out as the defendant and have the U.S. government take his place. If successful, the move would essentially nullify Carroll’s case, since the federal government cannot be sued for defamation. The appeals court last month rejected a request for a hearing on that argument.
That strategy is a long shot. The federal government does not typically assume liability for the personal conduct of a former president. But Trump’s legal team has made a career out of long shots. And this one has kept the case tied up in appeals for years.
A jury sided with Carroll in 2024, agreeing with her claims that Trump defamed her when he repeatedly denied that he sexually abused her in a dressing room in the 1990s. That jury awarded Carroll $83 million. Trump has consistently denied the allegations and has vowed to fight the verdict.
Trump is now trying to take the case to the Supreme Court after he has already asked it to consider his appeal in a separate $5 million defamation lawsuit against him that Carroll won. The Supreme Court has not yet said whether it will hear either case.
What This Means
The pause is not a win for Trump. It is a delay. The money is still owed. The bond is still required. The legal fight is still ongoing. But in the world of high-stakes litigation, delay can be a form of victory. Each month the payment is paused is a month Trump does not have to write an $83 million check.
For Carroll, the pause is frustrating but not unexpected. Her legal team agreed to the stay as long as the bond was increased. She will get her money if Trump loses his Supreme Court appeal. But that appeal could take months or even years.
The case has already spanned years. It has already produced two jury verdicts in Carroll’s favor. It has already generated millions in legal fees. The Supreme Court is now the final battleground.
The Bottom Line
A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump does not need to pay an $83 million defamation award to writer E. Jean Carroll until the Supreme Court either reviews the case or decides not to hear it. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York granted Trump’s request to pause the payment, with Carroll’s consent, as long as Trump raised his bond by $7.46 million to account for accruing interest. The bond now stands at nearly $100 million.
Trump’s attorneys are trying to have the U.S. government replace him as the defendant, which would nullify the case. The appeals court has already rejected that argument once. A jury sided with Carroll in 2024, agreeing that Trump defamed her when he denied sexually abusing her in the 1990s. Trump is now seeking Supreme Court review.
The $83 million payment is paused, but the legal fight is not over. And the Supreme Court will eventually decide whether Trump — or the American taxpayer — pays the price.
