Trump hit with $83.3M verdict

A New York federal jury on Friday ordered former President Donald Trump to pay writer E. Jean Carroll an additional $83.3 million in damages for defaming her in 2019 by denying her sexual abuse allegation against him. The verdict follows a May 2023 jury finding that Trump sexually abused Carroll in the mid-1990s and defamed her, awarding her $5 million; this new award covers punitive and reputational harm from Trump's repeated public denials. The nine-person jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching the unanimous decision in U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan's Manhattan courtroom. Carroll's lawyers had sought at least $24 million, arguing Trump's statements—calling her a liar on social media and in interviews—caused severe emotional distress and professional harm. Trump attended the trial briefly but skipped closing arguments, posting on Truth Social that the case was a "hoax" and "election interference." This brings Trump's total liability to Carroll to $88.3 million. He has vowed to appeal both verdicts, with his legal team filing a notice of appeal in the $5 million case last year and expected to do so here within 30 days. Kaplan has signaled he may allow Carroll to begin collecting if Trump cannot post a bond covering the sum during appeals. In a separate development, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida on Thursday granted Trump's request to reopen his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, focusing on how a prior settlement was executed. Filed in 2025, the suit alleges IRS agents improperly audited Trump's returns during his first term, using excessive resources in a politically motivated probe. The IRS settled confidentially in 2026 for an undisclosed amount far below $10 billion; Trump claims the agency violated the deal's terms. Cannon, who has presided over several Trump-related cases, ordered additional briefing and discovery, citing "genuine disputes" over settlement enforcement. Trump's lawyers argued the IRS withheld documents and failed to destroy audit files as agreed. The case could extend into 2027, testing boundaries between presidential privilege and tax enforcement. Meanwhile, over 200 convicted January 6, 2021, Capitol riot participants have applied for payouts from Trump's new "Anti-Weaponization Fund," which has raised nearly $1.8 billion since launch last month to aid those he calls victims of federal overreach. Applicants include Proud Boys members and others serving prison time, submitting claims via a website despite criticism from victims' families and Democrats. Trump promoted the fund at a Pennsylvania rally, saying it would "fight the deep state." Fund administrators, led by former Trump aide Dan Scavino, have approved initial small grants but paused larger disbursements amid legal challenges. A federal judge in D.C. is reviewing whether the fund qualifies as a political action committee, potentially triggering FEC oversight. On another front, the Trump administration filed notice Monday to appeal a U.S. trade judge's order requiring refunds for importers hit by $15 billion in tariffs imposed during Trump's first term, later ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court in 2025. The ruling covers steel, aluminum, and solar panel duties affecting thousands of businesses. The U.S. Trade Representative's office called the refund scope "overly broad," seeking to limit it to direct challengers. The appeal, filed in the Federal Circuit, delays payouts expected to total $20 billion with interest; a hearing is set for September 15. Importers like U.S. Steel Corp. have pressed for swift compliance. These rulings compound Trump's civil exposure, now exceeding $500 million across cases including New York fraud penalties and classified documents disputes. His team has secured a $175 million bond in the fraud appeal, but sources say liquidity strains are mounting ahead of potential 2028 campaign filings.