Court Rejects Trump's Bid to Have Taxpayers Cover $83M Legal Fees in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case

President Donald Trump sought to have American taxpayers cover his legal expenses following a considerable jury award in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case. In June, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit delivered a significant defeat to Trump, rejecting his proposal for public funds to finance his appeal against the $83 million judgment.The court has since elaborated on its ruling. In June, a panel of three judges dismissed Trump's appeal under the Westfall Act of 1988, which shields federal employees from certain tort claims during the performance of their official duties while allowing the public to sue the government for wrongdoing.Trump and the Justice Department contended that his public denials of Carroll’s allegations in 2019 fell under the Westfall Act, asserting he was acting within his presidential duties. Carroll contested this motion, leading to the Appeals Court's detailed decision in a 23-page opinion. The court found Trump's motion statutorily barred and emphasized that both he and the government had waived rights by filing improperly.

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