In yet another legal blow for President-elect Donald Trump, a federal appeals court has upheld the jury’s decision in the E. Jean Carroll sex abuse and defamation case. The ruling reinforces the $5 million in damages Trump was ordered to pay earlier this year and signals that his long legal battle with Carroll is far from over.

The appeals court’s decision didn’t mince words, concluding that Trump had failed to demonstrate any significant errors in the lower court’s rulings. The judges specifically pointed to evidence—including Trump’s infamous Access Hollywood tape—as part of a “repeated, idiosyncratic pattern of conduct” that aligned with Carroll’s allegations. In short, the court wasn’t buying the argument that Trump was unfairly tried or that the evidence presented was inadmissible.

Let’s back up. In May 2023, a New York jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room back in 1996. The jury also determined that Trump defamed Carroll by calling her a liar when he publicly denied her allegations. For those keeping score at home, the damages were broken down into $2.02 million for sexual abuse and $2.98 million for defamation.

Fast forward to today, and Trump’s legal team—led by attorney John Sauer—argued before the appeals court that the trial had been a “textbook example of implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible evidence.” Specifically, they took issue with the inclusion of the Access Hollywood tape and testimony from two other women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct decades ago.

But the appeals court wasn’t swayed. The ruling makes it clear that the evidence was appropriately considered and that Trump’s defense failed to demonstrate any substantial errors in how the case was handled.

The Access Hollywood tape—a now-infamous recording from 2005 where Trump was caught bragging about grabbing women without consent—loomed large over the original trial and the appeal. Trump’s lawyers argued that the tape was irrelevant and prejudicial, but the court saw it differently. The judges concluded that the tape illustrated a pattern of behavior that was highly relevant to the case.

And it wasn’t just the tape. Testimonies from Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff painted a consistent picture of Trump’s alleged misconduct. Leeds described an incident in the 1970s where Trump groped her on a plane, while Stoynoff testified about a 2005 encounter at Mar-a-Lago where Trump allegedly assaulted her during a photoshoot.

These testimonies, the court ruled, were valid contributions to establishing a pattern of behavior.

Trump has long dismissed Carroll’s accusations as a “hoax” and a “witch hunt.” He’s denied ever meeting Carroll—despite photographic evidence placing them together at a social event—and dismissed her claims as a ploy for fame and money.

His legal team insists the case was a politically motivated attack orchestrated by individuals with “significant political bias” against Trump. They also claim Carroll’s public standing has actually improved as a result of her allegations and subsequent media appearances.

This ruling lands just weeks before Trump is set to be inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. The timing couldn’t be more politically charged. Trump’s supporters see these legal battles as part of a larger campaign to undermine his presidency, while his critics view the rulings as evidence of long-overdue accountability.

Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, framed the appeals court decision as part of a “political weaponization of the justice system.” He also promised that the fight isn’t over, vowing to continue appealing the decision.

The Carroll case is just one entry in Trump’s mounting legal docket. In addition to this $5 million ruling, Trump was recently ordered to pay a staggering $83.3 million in a separate defamation trial involving Carroll. On top of that, Trump is navigating multiple criminal cases, including his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records tied to a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.

With Trump’s legal headaches piling up, one thing is clear: these cases won’t be neatly tied up by January 20 when he takes the oath of office. And while the presidency comes with considerable powers, it doesn’t offer immunity from civil liabilities or ongoing appeals.