Published on: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:01:00 GMTOriginal Story: Supreme Court Won’t Hear Trump Appeal of E. Jean Carroll Sex-Abuse Verdict – WSJ SCOTUS: We’re Done With Your Carroll Drama. SCOTUS: We’re Done With Your Carroll Drama. Well, well, well. If it isn’t the consequences of one’s own actions, showing up unannounced like an invoice for that artisanal kombucha you “forgot” to pay. In news that should surprise absolutely no one who’s been paying even a modicum of attention these past few years, the U.S. Supreme Court has effectively told Donald J. Trump to take a seat, declining to hear his appeal regarding the rather hefty E. Jean Carroll sex-abuse and defamation judgments. Translation for the uninitiated: the highest court in the land looked at his petition and collectively shrugged, deciding this particular legal saga doesn’t warrant their precious time. So, the hundreds of millions he’s been ordered to cough up? Yeah, those are still very much on the table. For those of us old enough to remember a time before “alternative facts” became a core competency, this decision reinforces a rather quaint concept: when a jury hears the evidence, and multiple courts uphold their findings, sometimes, just sometimes, the legal system actually lands on something resembling a conclusion. A conclusion, in this instance, that Mr. Trump sexually assaulted Ms. Carroll in a department store dressing room back in the mid-1990s and then defamed her repeatedly when she dared to speak her truth. You know, just another Tuesday in the Trump legal multiverse. The Long, Expensive Road to “No Thanks” Let’s rewind for a hot minute, because these things don’t just happen overnight. This whole ordeal, which has now concluded its journey through the federal court system, originated with two separate lawsuits. The first, filed in 2019, accused Trump of defamation after he denied Carroll’s sexual assault allegations. The second, filed in 2022 under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, allowed victims of sexual assault to sue regardless of the statute of limitations. This second suit also included a defamation claim. Carroll I: The Initial Verdict In May 2023, a Manhattan jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll and for defaming her in 2022. They awarded her $5 million in damages. This wasn’t a criminal trial, mind you, but a civil one. The bar for proof is lower, yes, but the finding was clear: the jury believed Carroll’s account, and they believed Trump’s denials had harmed her reputation. His legal team immediately went into full-blown “this is rigged, folks!” mode, naturally. Carroll II: The Defamation Double Down Fast forward to January 2024. Trump, apparently not learning his lesson about publicly disparaging people he’s been found liable for sexually assaulting, continued to double down on his denials, often doing so on social media and at rallies. This led to a second defamation trial. The result? Another jury, another verdict, this time a whopping $83.3 million in damages – $7.3 million in compensatory damages, $11 million for reputational repair, and a cool $65 million in punitive damages. That’s a lot of zeros, even for a guy who measures success in gold toilets and branded steaks. The judge in that case, Lewis Kaplan, even described Trump’s actions as “quintessential bad faith.” Ouch. And now, the Supreme Court has effectively said, “Yeah, we’re good with that.” The Irony Isn’t Lost on Us, or SCOTUS It’s genuinely fascinating, in a deeply cynical way, to observe the evolution of Donald Trump’s relationship with the judiciary. Remember when he was President? Oh, the halcyon days of appointing conservative justices, reshaping the federal courts, and extolling the virtues of a strong, independent judiciary. He often praised the Supreme Court and the individual justices he proudly nominated, touting their commitment to “judicial temperament” and the Constitution. Back in, say, **2016** during his campaign and throughout his first term, he’d frequently champion the idea of a robust legal system that delivered swift, fair justice – especially when it delivered outcomes he liked. He’d talk about how his picks would uphold the rule of law and protect American values, acting as the ultimate arbiters of justice. Now, however, when the very system he once lauded and meticulously shaped delivers verdicts *against* him, suddenly it’s all “corrupt,” “rigged,” and “a disgrace.” The goalposts, as always, are on a hydraulic lift, moving wherever suits the immediate narrative. The Supreme Court’s decision to not take up his appeal isn’t a statement on the merits of the case itself, strictly speaking. It simply means they found no compelling reason to review the lower courts’ consistent rulings. It’s the legal equivalent of a mic drop, signaling that the existing judgments are final and binding. No do-overs, no mulligans, no “I didn’t mean it” allowed. For a man who has always presented himself as a master negotiator and legal strategist, this series of losses, particularly with the highest court declining to intervene, paints a rather different picture. It suggests that even with all the bluster, all the appeals, and all the accusations of political persecution, the facts, as presented to juries and upheld by multiple judicial levels, eventually stick. And those facts, in this particular instance, are proving to be exceptionally expensive. What This Means for the Man and His Wallet So, what’s next? With the Supreme Court effectively closing this chapter, Trump’s options are dwindling faster than my motivation on a Monday morning. He’s already posted a bond of over $90 million to cover the Carroll II judgment while he pursued appeals, a bond that’s now likely to be called upon. The original $5 million from Carroll I has also been secured. This isn’t just about the money, though that’s a significant chunk of change even for a billionaire (or someone who claims to be one). It’s about the legal precedent, the public finding of sexual abuse and defamation, and the very real consequences of his actions and words. It’s another notch on the ever-growing belt of legal defeats, each one chipping away at the carefully constructed facade of invincibility. For those who believe in accountability, it’s a small, albeit significant, win. For Trump, it’s another legal bill to add to the pile, and another opportunity to declare himself the most persecuted man in history. Because, of course, that’s the only logical conclusion when the justice system, even the one you helped stock, just isn’t playing ball. Snarky Takeaway The Supreme Court, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that some legal battles are just not worth their precious time. For E. Jean Carroll, it means the system, however slowly, eventually worked. For Donald Trump, it means the check is, indeed, in the mail. Or, more accurately, the money secured by bond is about to change hands. One might even say it’s a definitive ruling that, sometimes, when you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Or, in this case, pay stupidly large fines. Next up: finding a couch big enough to cry on, probably while tweeting about how unfair it all is. Because some things, apparently, never change. Post navigation Pot, Kettle: Biden’s ‘Loser’ Strategy Unveiled TR + DJT: A Match Made in Ego Heaven
SCOTUS: We’re Done With Your Carroll Drama. Well, well, well. If it isn’t the consequences of one’s own actions, showing up unannounced like an invoice for that artisanal kombucha you “forgot” to pay. In news that should surprise absolutely no one who’s been paying even a modicum of attention these past few years, the U.S. Supreme Court has effectively told Donald J. Trump to take a seat, declining to hear his appeal regarding the rather hefty E. Jean Carroll sex-abuse and defamation judgments. Translation for the uninitiated: the highest court in the land looked at his petition and collectively shrugged, deciding this particular legal saga doesn’t warrant their precious time. So, the hundreds of millions he’s been ordered to cough up? Yeah, those are still very much on the table. For those of us old enough to remember a time before “alternative facts” became a core competency, this decision reinforces a rather quaint concept: when a jury hears the evidence, and multiple courts uphold their findings, sometimes, just sometimes, the legal system actually lands on something resembling a conclusion. A conclusion, in this instance, that Mr. Trump sexually assaulted Ms. Carroll in a department store dressing room back in the mid-1990s and then defamed her repeatedly when she dared to speak her truth. You know, just another Tuesday in the Trump legal multiverse. The Long, Expensive Road to “No Thanks” Let’s rewind for a hot minute, because these things don’t just happen overnight. This whole ordeal, which has now concluded its journey through the federal court system, originated with two separate lawsuits. The first, filed in 2019, accused Trump of defamation after he denied Carroll’s sexual assault allegations. The second, filed in 2022 under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, allowed victims of sexual assault to sue regardless of the statute of limitations. This second suit also included a defamation claim. Carroll I: The Initial Verdict In May 2023, a Manhattan jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll and for defaming her in 2022. They awarded her $5 million in damages. This wasn’t a criminal trial, mind you, but a civil one. The bar for proof is lower, yes, but the finding was clear: the jury believed Carroll’s account, and they believed Trump’s denials had harmed her reputation. His legal team immediately went into full-blown “this is rigged, folks!” mode, naturally. Carroll II: The Defamation Double Down Fast forward to January 2024. Trump, apparently not learning his lesson about publicly disparaging people he’s been found liable for sexually assaulting, continued to double down on his denials, often doing so on social media and at rallies. This led to a second defamation trial. The result? Another jury, another verdict, this time a whopping $83.3 million in damages – $7.3 million in compensatory damages, $11 million for reputational repair, and a cool $65 million in punitive damages. That’s a lot of zeros, even for a guy who measures success in gold toilets and branded steaks. The judge in that case, Lewis Kaplan, even described Trump’s actions as “quintessential bad faith.” Ouch. And now, the Supreme Court has effectively said, “Yeah, we’re good with that.” The Irony Isn’t Lost on Us, or SCOTUS It’s genuinely fascinating, in a deeply cynical way, to observe the evolution of Donald Trump’s relationship with the judiciary. Remember when he was President? Oh, the halcyon days of appointing conservative justices, reshaping the federal courts, and extolling the virtues of a strong, independent judiciary. He often praised the Supreme Court and the individual justices he proudly nominated, touting their commitment to “judicial temperament” and the Constitution. Back in, say, **2016** during his campaign and throughout his first term, he’d frequently champion the idea of a robust legal system that delivered swift, fair justice – especially when it delivered outcomes he liked. He’d talk about how his picks would uphold the rule of law and protect American values, acting as the ultimate arbiters of justice. Now, however, when the very system he once lauded and meticulously shaped delivers verdicts *against* him, suddenly it’s all “corrupt,” “rigged,” and “a disgrace.” The goalposts, as always, are on a hydraulic lift, moving wherever suits the immediate narrative. The Supreme Court’s decision to not take up his appeal isn’t a statement on the merits of the case itself, strictly speaking. It simply means they found no compelling reason to review the lower courts’ consistent rulings. It’s the legal equivalent of a mic drop, signaling that the existing judgments are final and binding. No do-overs, no mulligans, no “I didn’t mean it” allowed. For a man who has always presented himself as a master negotiator and legal strategist, this series of losses, particularly with the highest court declining to intervene, paints a rather different picture. It suggests that even with all the bluster, all the appeals, and all the accusations of political persecution, the facts, as presented to juries and upheld by multiple judicial levels, eventually stick. And those facts, in this particular instance, are proving to be exceptionally expensive. What This Means for the Man and His Wallet So, what’s next? With the Supreme Court effectively closing this chapter, Trump’s options are dwindling faster than my motivation on a Monday morning. He’s already posted a bond of over $90 million to cover the Carroll II judgment while he pursued appeals, a bond that’s now likely to be called upon. The original $5 million from Carroll I has also been secured. This isn’t just about the money, though that’s a significant chunk of change even for a billionaire (or someone who claims to be one). It’s about the legal precedent, the public finding of sexual abuse and defamation, and the very real consequences of his actions and words. It’s another notch on the ever-growing belt of legal defeats, each one chipping away at the carefully constructed facade of invincibility. For those who believe in accountability, it’s a small, albeit significant, win. For Trump, it’s another legal bill to add to the pile, and another opportunity to declare himself the most persecuted man in history. Because, of course, that’s the only logical conclusion when the justice system, even the one you helped stock, just isn’t playing ball. Snarky Takeaway The Supreme Court, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that some legal battles are just not worth their precious time. For E. Jean Carroll, it means the system, however slowly, eventually worked. For Donald Trump, it means the check is, indeed, in the mail. Or, more accurately, the money secured by bond is about to change hands. One might even say it’s a definitive ruling that, sometimes, when you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Or, in this case, pay stupidly large fines. Next up: finding a couch big enough to cry on, probably while tweeting about how unfair it all is. Because some things, apparently, never change.