• A federal appeals court has upheld a $5 million verdict against Donald Trump in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll.
• The ruling comes after a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation connected to events from 1996.
• Carroll was awarded damages after Trump denied her allegations, claiming they were a hoax.
• Trump's legal team argued the trial rules were compromised, but the court dismissed these claims, reaffirming the jury's findings.
• This case marks a significant moment in discussions around presidential immunity from civil litigation, reiterating that no immunity applies for actions unrelated to official duties.

In a landmark decision, a federal appeals court upheld a $5 million defamation verdict against Donald Trump, associated with E. Jean Carroll's allegations of sexual abuse. The ruling made by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals on December 30 reinforces the jury's conclusion that Trump was liable for defaming and sexually assaulting Carroll during a 1996 incident at a New York department store. Despite Trump's attempts to overturn the verdict by claiming judicial errors, the court found his arguments unconvincing. Carroll's decade-long pursuit of justice has spotlighted issues surrounding the accountability of public figures. The legal saga includes a previous jury awarding Carroll an additional $83.3 million in damages earlier this year, related to Trump's denials of her accusations made in his capacity as president.

The court's decision signifies an important precedent for civil cases involving public officials. For more details on the case background, see the report from Le Monde.