The United States Appeals Court has declined Donald Trump’s request to postpone the impending defamation trial in the lawsuit filed by writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump’s legal team had sought a delay of up to 90 days, citing the need for additional time to consider appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court following the rejection of their presidential immunity defense.
Trump’s argument centered on his claim that, as president, he was immune from litigation for statements he made in 2019 denying Carroll’s sexual assault allegations against him. However, the three-judge panel of the appeals court unanimously ruled against this defense, noting Trump’s three-year delay in presenting it.
The trial, set to commence on January 16, will decide the damages Trump owes Carroll for his defamatory remarks. This lawsuit marks Carroll’s second legal battle against the former president. In the first case, Carroll accused Trump of raping her in a New York department store in the 1990s and subsequently defaming her by labeling her claims as a “con job.” In May, a jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages after finding Trump guilty of sexual abuse and defamation.
Additionally, Trump has invoked the presidential immunity defense in the criminal election interference case led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. This claim was rejected by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a decision Trump has appealed. The recent ruling by the appeals court signals a continuation of legal challenges for the former president, with the upcoming trial potentially having significant implications.