Trump denied latest bid to delay $5.8m judgment payment to E Jean Carroll | E Jean Carroll
US politics | The Guardian — 2026-07-06 09:34:00 — www.theguardian.com
Trump Attacks Judge After Court Rejects His Attempt to Delay $5.8 Million Payment to E. Jean Carroll
Donald Trump lashed out at US district Judge Lewis Kaplan after the judge rejected his latest effort to delay payment of a $5.8 million judgment for defaming magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, whom a jury determined he sexually abused in 1996 and later defamed in 2019. In a post on his Truth Social platform following the jury’s award in 2023, Trump wrote: “What else can you expect from a Trump Hating, Clinton appointed judge, who went out of his way to make sure that the result was as negative as it could possible be, speaking to, and in control of, a jury from an anti-Trump area which is probably the worst place in the US for me to get a fair ‘trial’.”
Court Denies Delay Request
On July 4, Judge Kaplan issued a single-sentence order denying Trump’s request for more time to pay the civil judgment. Trump’s attorneys argued that his new lead counsel needed additional time to become familiar with the case, citing the recent appointment of his former lead counsel to a federal judgeship. Carroll’s lawyer countered that the request was simply another attempt to stall, noting that Trump had ample time to hire new counsel.
Pattern of Attacks and Delay Tactics
Trump’s angry statement about Judge Kaplan is part of a broader pattern in which he disparages judges and juries involved in his legal cases, often suggesting bias or unfairness without evidence. In this instance, he specifically attacked the judge’s background and the location of the trial, implying that both were stacked against him.
Meanwhile, Trump’s legal team has sought to delay payment by proposing to combine this case with a separate $83.3 million defamation judgment Carroll won in 2024. Carroll’s lawyers have warned that such a move could further postpone justice and potentially jeopardize both judgments.
Conclusion
Trump’s public statements and legal maneuvers reflect a consistent strategy of attacking the legitimacy of the judicial process and seeking to delay accountability. The federal court’s latest rejection of his delay request underscores the judiciary’s insistence that Trump meet his obligations, despite his repeated attempts to evade or undermine the outcome. Readers should be aware of Trump’s record of false claims and disparagements when evaluating his responses to legal setbacks.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/06/trump-denies-delay-e-jean-carroll-judgment-payment