'A result of his own dilatory actions’: Judge rejects Trump's request to delay $83.3M Carroll defamation ruling

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A federal judge in New York rejected Donald Trump’s request to delay an $83.3 million defamation judgment to writer E. Jean Carroll.

In a court filing on Thursday, United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan criticized the former president, who had asked for more time to delay an $83.3 million defamation payment to Carroll, alleging a threat of “irreparable injury.”

“Mr. Trump’s current situation is a result of his own dilatory actions,” Kaplan wrote. “He has had since Jan. 26 to organize his finances with the knowledge that he might need to bond this judgment, yet he waited until 25 days after the jury verdict — and only shortly before the expiration of Rule 62’s automatic 30-day stay of judgment — to file his prior motion for an unsecured or partially secured stay pending resolution of post-trial motions.”

As Law&Crime As reported, Trump’s request was made through a two-page letter from attorneys Alina Habba and John Sauer, which asked the court to renew an existing stay on the execution of the payment to Carroll that is set to expire on Monday or drastically reduce what the former president pays upfront.

Trump has proposed around $24 million on an unsecured bond. The remaining amount he owes Carroll would be postponed as he contests the order in appeals.

The former president submitted several post-trial motions arguing for a new trial, claiming the judge had “completely muzzled” his testimony at trial and unfairly prejudiced him.

While Trump seeks ways to postpone paying Carroll, he also faces the urgent matter of $464 million owed to New York State after his loss in civil fraud court. Trump filed a notice for a motion to appeal the enforcement of that bond in February, stating he could provide $100 million but needed a way to come up with the rest of the cash potentially by selling off his properties.

Read Kaplan’s rejection here.

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