In a significant legal development, a federal judge has rejected former President Donald Trump's plea for a new trial in the defamation lawsuit brought against him by writer E. Jean Carroll. The case involved an accusation made by Carroll in a 2019 New York magazine article where she alleged Trump sexually assaulted her in the mid-1990s. The judge also refused to strike the damages awarded to Carroll, amounting to $83.3 million, which Trump had claimed were disproportionate.

The decision was delivered by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan on Thursday, dismissing Trump's arguments as lacking both legal and factual merit. Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, expressed the intention to appeal the ruling, emphasizing their disagreement and confidence that the decision would be overturned by the Second Circuit.

Trump's request for a new trial, initially submitted in March, included grievances about the trial and pretrial decisions, particularly the exclusion of evidence related to Trump's "state of mind" at the time of his defamation towards Carroll. However, Judge Kaplan firmly maintained that Trump's argument ignored the court's conclusion of the statements being false, defamatory, and made with both actual and common law malice. The judge highlighted that the defamatory statements had reached an estimated viewership of approximately 85 to 104 million people.

Carroll's allegations against Trump stirred controversy during his presidential term when the story was published. Trump vehemently denied the accusations, branding Carroll a "whack job" and asserting that he had never met her. Nevertheless, the jury in January found Trump liable for defamation.

The crux of Trump's argument rested on his claim that the jury could not reasonably conclude that Carroll had suffered damages as a result of his remarks, as they were made five hours after the article was published. Trump's legal team aimed to highlight a lack of negative feedback during this "five-hour gap," while Carroll's attorneys argued that she endured a sustained barrage of derision and threats following Trump's response.

Judge Kaplan's decision represents a setback for Trump, further entrenching the jury's determination of defamation liability. The ruling, seen as upholding long-standing constitutional principles, has drawn attention as another example of contentious legal battles unfolding across the country.

As Trump sets his sights on yet another legal challenge, the spotlight now shifts to the appellate process and the Second Circuit, where the former president hopes to reverse the district court's decision. The outcome of the appeal will ultimately determine the final resolution of this high-profile defamation case.