Supreme Court to Weigh Free Speech Limits in Trump Defamation Case

The Supreme Court will decide in February 2026 whether to hear Trump's appeal of an $83.3 million defamation judgment from E. Jean Carroll. A federal appeals court upheld his liability for sexual abuse and the damages award in September 2025. The case tests how First Amendment protections apply when public figures deny sexual abuse allegations later deemed defamatory—a ruling that could reshape defamation law in civil lawsuits involving public figures.