Lawyers for Donald Trump have filed a request to delay the payment of a $5 million civil judgment to E Jean Carroll, a magazine columnist, following the US Supreme Court's decision not to hear an appeal regarding the case. The request comes after Trump's former lead counsel, Justin Smith, was appointed as a federal judge, and his new attorney, Josh Halpern, stated he needs more time to familiarize himself with the case.
A jury found that Trump had sexually abused Carroll in 1996 and subsequently defamed her in 2019. The amount owed has increased to nearly $5.8 million with interest. Trump's attorneys have asked for an extension until July 14 to respond to Carroll's payment request, arguing that she faces no risk of harm from this delay.
In response, Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, criticized the request as a tactic to buy time, noting that Trump had sufficient time to secure new legal representation since Smith's nomination. Kaplan also indicated that Carroll's legal team is prepared for further legal actions, including an appeal related to a second defamation judgment of $83 million in favor of Carroll. Trump's legal team has suggested that they may seek to consolidate both judgments in their appeals, raising issues of presidential immunity regarding statements made during his presidency.