Trump says Carroll verdict setback surprised him

President Trump says he was surprised that the Supreme Court on Monday rejected his bid to toss a $5 million civil verdict finding that he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll.

Why it matters: It's another loss for Trump after years of trying to get the verdict thrown out. He has denied wrongdoing and alleged Carroll made false, politically motivated accusations.

What they're saying: "Surprisingly, the Supreme Court declined to 'review' a Fake Case brought against me by a woman I never met (Decades old celebrity photo line, standing with her husband, does not count!)," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Monday morning.

• "This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for, and should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be!"

The other side: Roberta Kaplan, Carroll's attorney, told Axios in an emailed statement that "[t]oday's Supreme Court decision affirms once and for all the jury's unanimous verdict that President Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E. Jean Carroll."

• "His multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed and today's ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions."

Between the lines: The Supreme Court's rejection marks the end of this specific case, although Trump's legal team has request an appeals court reconsider a separate ruling requiring him to pay Carroll $83.3 million.

Catch up quick: An appeals court upheld that judgement in September, finding that Trump had made defamatory comments about the writer.

• The three-judge panel determined that the jury's verdict and damages awarded to Carroll were "fair and reasonable," adding that the "record makes clear that Trump acted with, at a minimum, reckless disregard for the truth."

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.

Go deeper: Trump asks Supreme Court to toss $5 million E. Jean verdict