Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll Agree to Delay in Defamation Case

Former President Donald Trump's lawyers reached an agreement with E. Jean Carroll on Wednesday, extending a deadline in their defamation case.

According to a court filing, Carroll will have a deadline of March 26 to respond to Trump's motions for judgment regarding the ruling that he must pay $83.3 million to the former Elle columnist. Trump's deadline to submit a reply to Carroll's motions in the case was extended to April 9.

"It is accordingly stipulated and agreed that Ms. Carroll's deadline for responding to Mr. Trump's motions for judgment as a matter of law and for a new trial are extended to March 26, 2024, and Mr. Trump's deadline for submitting a reply in support of those motions is extended to April 9, 2024," the motion said.

The Context

Trump recently paid a $91.6 million bond in the case involving Carroll amid his attempt to appeal the ruling. The former president was found liable for defamation of Carroll and ordered to pay $83.3 million to the former Elle columnist. The most recent bond included the $83.3 million as well as interest added by the state of New York.

Trump was also found liable for sexually assaulting Carroll in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump was accused of defaming Carroll by denying the allegations against him.

Newsweek reached out to Trump's spokesperson via email for comment.

What We Know

Trump has continued to deny any wrongdoing in the case involving Carroll and denied ever knowing her during trial.

The bond posted by Trump last week allows him to appeal the most recent defamation ruling, as he has vowed to do.

On March 8, Carroll shared an image on her blog confirming the bond paid by Trump.

"Trump just posted a bond to the stupendous amount of $91,600,000," Carroll wrote.

Views

During a recent rally in Georgia, Trump commented on the bond payment and responded to the allegations made against him as "a fake story, a totally made-up story."

"I could say things about what it would cost normally. Ninety one million, based on false accusations made about me by a woman that I knew nothing about, didn't know, never heard of, I knew nothing about her," Trump said. "She wrote a book, she said things, and when I denied it, I said: 'it's so crazy, it's false,' I get sued for defamation. That's where it starts."

Following Trump's remarks in Georgia, former federal prosecutor Shan Wu warned that the former president's recent comments about Carroll could open him up to additional legal issues.

What's Next

Trump recently obtained enough delegates in the 2024 election to be named the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Ahead of the election, Trump faces several other legal cases, such as a federal indictment for allegations relating to the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol and another federal indictment for alleged mishandling of classified documents, as well as alleged election interference in Georgia and hush money payment to a former adult film star.

Correction 3/13/24, 3:19 p.m. ET: This story and the headline have been corrected.