Donald Trump is appealing the $5 million jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing New York author E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s, but he’s getting ready to put up the cash anyway.
The former president and 2024 contender for the White House received permission from a judge on Friday to transfer $5.55 million — equal to 110% of the civil judgment — to a New York federal court while he appeals the May 9 jury verdict. Trump will get the money back if he wins the appeal.
The deposit will be used in lieu of a bond, which is typically arranged by a third party so a defendant doesn’t have to use their own money. Trump’s filing didn’t say why he opted to post cash instead of a bond. Any interest generated from the cash can be added to the security and used to cover an unspecified fee for the judiciary, according to the filing.
“Bond costs money. He has the cash,” Joe Tacopina, Trump’s lawyer, said in a text message.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, who didn’t object to Trump’s request, declined to comment.
Carroll, 79, claims Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in 1996 and tarnished her reputation last year by calling her a liar on his Truth Social platform. A jury of six men and three women found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation after hearing from almost a dozen witnesses during a two-week trial.
Trump, 77, denies attacking Carroll and argues her lawsuit was politically motivated. He also argues the damages should be slashed by $4 million because the jury found him liable for sexual abuse instead of rape.
After the verdict, Tacopina vowed to appeal on a variety of grounds, including by arguing that the judge should not have allowed the jury to hear the so-called Access Hollywood tape. The 2005 hot-mic recording captures Trump making unguarded remarks about kissing women without consent and boasting that famous men can get away with groping women.
The case is Carroll v. Trump, 22-cv-10016, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
(Updates with comment from Trump’s lawyer. An earlier version of the story corrected Trump’s age.)
