President Trump had asked the justices to intervene after a jury found that he had sexually abused and defamed the writer E. Jean Carroll.

The F.B.I. director, following a strategy from President Trump, has filed six defamation lawsuits against news media companies and commentators in nearly seven years.

The Justice Department is said to be examining the funding of lawsuits brought by E. Jean Carroll, an author who has never sought a public role, political power or governmental authority.

Two monetary judgments against Mr. Trump are winding their way through the legal system, with the Supreme Court likely to be the final word on both.

An earlier version of the defamation suit, which focused on an article about a birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein, was dismissed by a judge.

The investigation is said to center on whether Ms. Carroll committed perjury in civil lawsuits against Donald J. Trump, whom she accused of sexual assault.

Mr. Patel accused the publication of defamation, asking for $250 million in damages. A spokeswoman for The Atlantic called the suit “meritless.”

The judge said President Trump had not “plausibly alleged” that The Journal published the article with actual malice.