E. Jean Carroll is now cleared to collect $5.8 million held in escrow following a ruling by a federal judge, the Associated Press reported. This money stems from a jury verdict finding that President Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed her. While the legal battle has been lengthy, the path forward is now open because the U.S. Supreme Court recently decided to let the original civil verdict stand.

Judge Lewis A. Kaplan moved to release the funds, which include the initial $5 million award plus accrued interest . Trump deposited this sum into an account shortly after the 2023 jury decision. Although his legal team immediately filed an appeal and requested an emergency order to block the payment, Judge Eunice C. Lee of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied that request late Wednesday.

The origins of this case date back to an encounter in 1996 inside a luxury Manhattan department store. Carroll, who is currently 82, testified that a friendly meeting turned violent. She later detailed the incident in a 2019 memoir. During his first term as president, Trump responded to these claims by calling them false and stating, “she’s not my type” in an interview. Carroll eventually sued after New York updated its laws to allow sexual abuse survivors to pursue claims regarding attacks from the distant past.

The legal process has been quite complex

Trump did not attend the initial trial where the jury reached its verdict. Throughout the proceedings, Trump insisted he never knew Carroll and accused her of having political motivations to sell books. Judge Kaplan was firm in his assessment of the delays, writing in a memorandum that Trump “has been stalling this case for years.” He added that it is time for him to “do equity” and pay the judgment.

Writer E. Jean Carroll can collect $5.8 million awarded to her after a jury found that President Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed her, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. MORE: https://t.co/ixCAMJ46kg pic.twitter.com/3hgyli7kQ8

- NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) July 8, 2026

Representatives for Carroll expressed a clear desire to move forward. In a filing with the appellate court, her lawyers noted, “It is time for this case to come to an end.” They further argued, “Carroll has waited more than three years for a jury’s verdict to be paid.” They emphasized that she should not have to wait any longer to receive the compensation determined by the court.

Trump’s legal team continues to push back, arguing that the decision should be stayed because they have asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its stance. They have also characterized the situation as political opponents using the legal system against the President.

This isn’t the only financial issue currently in play for Trump regarding this matter. He is also appealing a separate $83 million defamation award granted to Carroll by a different Manhattan jury following a 2024 trial. During that proceeding, Judge Kaplan required the jury to accept the findings from the first trial and focus solely on damages related to comments Trump made while president. Trump’s lawyers have raised concerns about the rules set for that trial, specifically that they were barred from telling the jury the encounter never happened.

Reflecting on the behavior throughout these trials , Circuit Judge Denny Chin noted in a recent filing that Trump repeatedly claimed Carroll lied for gain and suggested she was unattractive. Chin stated, “As a result of Trump’s statements, Carroll was harassed and humiliated, subjected to death threats, and feared for her physical safety for years.” He also pointed out that Trump showed no remorse, even proclaiming during the first trial that he would continue to defame her “a thousand times.”

Despite these ongoing appeals, the immediate release of the $5.8 million represents a major shift in the resolution of this case.

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Manodeep writes about US and global politics with five years of experience under the belt. While he's not keeping up with the latest happenings at the Capitol Hill, you can find him grinding rank in one of the Valve MOBAs.