E. Jean Carroll accused Trump of rape and sued him for defamation. A jury verdict ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages.

A federal judge has upheld the verdict and award in the high-profile defamation case involving former President Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll. Despite Trump’s efforts to challenge the verdict, Judge Lewis Kaplan dismissed his motion for a new trial, affirming the jury’s decision to hold Trump accountable.

Carroll, a former magazine columnist, accused Trump of rape in the 1990s and sued him for defamation when he denied her allegations. The trial captured national attention, culminating in a jury verdict that ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages.

Trump’s legal team argued that the awarded damages were excessive, but Judge Kaplan disagreed, emphasizing the gravity of Trump’s attacks on Carroll, which reached millions of people.

Despite Trump’s denial of the assault and his assertion that Carroll was not his “type,” the defamation lawsuit centered on his public refutation of her claims.

The courtroom drama included Trump’s controversial behavior, such as leaving the proceedings during key moments, which drew sharp rebukes from the judge.

This ruling underscores the power of a jury of ordinary citizens in holding public figures accountable, a significant contrast to Trump’s claims of unfair treatment by political adversaries.

The development comes as Trump sits in another courtroom , facing criminal charges related to allegations of falsifying business records.