A federal appeals court rejected a claim by Donald Trump that he was protected by presidential immunity from a rape defamation lawsuit by writer E. Jean Carroll. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Donald Trump waived his right to presidential immunity defense by not raising it for several years regarding E. Jean Carroll's defamation allegation against him. The court's unanimous decision, articulated by Judge Jose Cabranes, allows the civil case to proceed to trial. The upcoming trial will focus on determining the monetary damages Trump owes Carroll, following a previous ruling by District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan that Trump's statements were defamatory. The ruling comes as Trump has seen his claims of presidential immunity rejected in other civil and criminal cases related to the January 6th Capitol riot and his attempt to overturn the 2020 election.