Donald Trump has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the $83 million judgment awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll, asserting that he is immune from liability for statements he made during his presidency. The filing argues that a federal appeals court erred by not recognizing his claim of presidential immunity.

Trump's legal team contends that his public statements denying Carroll's allegations were made in his official capacity as president. This argument invokes the Supreme Court's 2024 presidential immunity decision, which broadly protects presidents from prosecution for official acts. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals, however, had previously ruled that Trump failed to raise his immunity argument in a timely manner.

In the petition, Trump's lawyers stated that presidential statements responding to accusations questioning a president's fitness for office are "plainly official" and should be protected. They also sought to have the United States government substituted as the defendant in the case. The Second Circuit had dismissed the substitution request, citing undue delay, with Judge Denny Chin noting that such a move would not be permitted for any other defendant so long after a trial and judgment.

The core of the dispute stems from two separate legal actions brought by E. Jean Carroll. In 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s and for defaming her in a 2022 social media post. A subsequent trial in 2024 resulted in the $83 million defamation judgment for statements Trump made in 2019 when he denied her allegations.

This latest petition follows the Supreme Court's recent decision last month to decline hearing Trump's appeal of the separate $5 million verdict against him for sexual abuse and defamation. That $5 million judgment, plus interest, has since been transferred to Carroll's account, according to her lawyers.

The Second Circuit had previously stated that Trump's immunity argument was not raised for the first three years of the case. Judge Chin pointed out in an April opinion that presidential immunity was not presented as a defense until much later in the proceedings.

Trump's legal strategy hinges on classifying his public denials of Carroll's accusations as official presidential acts, thereby shielding him from civil liability. The success of this argument before the Supreme Court remains to be seen, given the court's previous rulings on the timing and scope of immunity claims.

Carroll's attorneys have not yet commented on Trump's new petition to the Supreme Court. The case highlights ongoing legal battles concerning the extent of presidential immunity and its application to statements made by former and current presidents.