The judge presiding over the defamation lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll against Donald Trump has dismissed the former president’s attempt to postpone payment of damages.
Alina Habba, Trump’s lawyer, submitted a motion on Friday requesting Judge Lewis Kaplan to halt the requirement for the former president to pay Carroll $83.3 million for remarks made in 2019.
In a court memorandum, Habba argued that Kaplan should delay the judgment until at least 30 days after “upcoming post-trial motions, to be filed by March 7.”
Additionally, in a statement sent to Newsweek via email, she remarked, “The amount granted to Ms. Carroll is unreasonably high. The Court needs to use its discretion to prevent… this unreasonable judgment, which is unlikely to hold up on appeal.”
However, in a court document dated February 24, Judge Kaplan rejected the plea, stating: “The Court refuses to grant any postponement, let alone an unsecured one, without giving the plaintiff a fair chance to present their case.”
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the Carroll lawsuit and has expressed intentions to appeal the verdict from January. Newsweek reached out to representatives for Trump for comment on this matter.
The discussion surrounding Trump’s damages has sparked speculation about its impact on his overall wealth and financial standing. Last month, experts interviewed by Newsweek suggested that payments to Carroll could potentially lead Trump to declare bankruptcy, while others warned of potential liquidity issues.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Judge Arthur Engoron added to Trump’s financial challenges by ruling that he must pay approximately $355 million in penalties for fraud in a significant New York case. The ruling found that Trump and top executives at The Trump Organization had inflated asset values to secure more favorable terms from lenders and insurers.
Carroll has hinted at the possibility of filing another lawsuit against Trump. During a January interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Carroll discussed Trump’s behavior following the trial. Despite the verdict, Trump has persisted in discussing Carroll on social media and at rallies, sharing links to articles that criticize the journalist and refute her allegations.
Maddow posed the question: “If it came down to it, if your legal team advised pursuing another case to seek further compensation from him, would you pursue it?”
“Without a doubt,” Carroll responded.
