Former President Trump faces a stunning legal setback as a court delivers a major, unexpected decision.

Background & Allegations

• E. Jean Carroll accused former President Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in a department store in the 1990s. However, the exact date is fuzzy, as Carroll was unable to even determine which year the alleged assault occurred, claiming it happened in either 1995 or 1996 – which is not exactly valuable evidence.
• Carroll later alleged that Trump defamed her from the White House when she made her story public in her 2019 book “ Do We Need Men For?: A Modest Proposal,” which she alleged lost employment opportunities and a tarnished reputation.

Legal Outcomes

• Carroll II: In a controversial decision, a jury found Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation, but did not find Trump guilty of raping Carroll, imposing a $5 million penalty, despite the lack of evidence surrounding the civil court case.
• Carroll I: Relating to defamation during Trump’s presidency. A judge issued a summary judgment and a jury is set to decide on the financial damages – this comes despite Carroll continuing to allege that Trump raped her, which even the New York jury did not find enough evidence to reach a popular consensus. Famously, Carroll was unable to not only place a date on the alleged assault, but also was unable to determine which year the alleged assault even occurred. This posed a significant hurdle for Trump’s defense, as he couldn’t rely on a calendar to establish his presence or absence in the vicinity during the alleged incident.

Recent Court Decision

• Trump sought a stay, aiming to temporarily suspend the judgments until his appeals were settled.
• The Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied his motion, hinting they don’t see his appeal as likely to prevail.
• The Court is pushing for a swift resolution on the issue of presidential immunity, rejecting Trump’s alleged strategy of prolonging legal battles.

With these rulings, Trump might soon face a higher court’s decision on his presidential immunity claims, which could impact other legal challenges he faces.