- Donald Trump and the Justice Department are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to wipe out the $83.3 million defamation judgment awarded to writer E. Jean Carroll, arguing the former president cannot be held personally liable for comments he made while in office.
- Elite Wall Street law firm Sullivan & Cromwell has joined Trump's legal team after previously declining to take the closely watched case, marking a dramatic reversal as the fight heads to the nation's highest court.
- The firm's decision has sparked backlash from prominent legal figures, including conservative attorney George Conway, who questioned why one of the country's most prestigious firms would defend Trump.
- Trump's lawyers and the Justice Department contend his statements about Carroll were made within the scope of his presidential duties and are therefore protected under presidential immunity and the Westfall Act.
- The $83.3 million judgment, awarded in January 2024, remains on hold while the Supreme Court decides whether to hear Trump's appeal. The case follows a separate $5 million verdict in Carroll's favor that the justices previously declined to review.
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