ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos have reached a $16 million settlement with President-elect Trump to resolve a defamation lawsuit. The settlement was publicly filed on Saturday, days before both parties were set to give depositions in the case.
As part of the settlement, ABC News will donate $15 million to "Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for [Trump], as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past" The network will also pay $1 million as Trump's legal fees. ABC will also post a note on its website expressing regret over the claim Stephanopoulos made in a March 10 segment of "This Week."
Big Win for Trump
A statement from the network said: "ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC's This Week on March 10, 2024."
Trump filed a lawsuit against ABC News and Stephanopoulos in Miami federal court after the anchor repeatedly and inaccurately said during a "This Week" interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) that Trump had been "found liable for rape."
Stephanopoulos said: "I'm asking you a question about why you endorse someone who's been found liable for rape."
The congresswoman went on: "As a rape victim, who's been shamed for years now because of her rape. You're trying to shame me again."
Mace claims that her motivation for advocating for women's concerns stems from the rape she had at the age of 16.
"I have endorsed a man that I believe is best for our country. It's not Joe Biden. You looked at the dueling rallies yesterday, in Georgia. Laken Riley's family was with Donald Trump. They weren't with Joe Biden the same guy yesterday, that apologized for calling her killer an illegal who was an illegal.
"And here you are trying to shame a rape victim. I find it disgusting."
In Trump's Favor
In May 2023, a New York jury ruled that Trump must pay $5 million in damages for sexually assaulting Carroll in the 1990s. Later, he was ordered to pay another $83.3 million for defamation after publicly denying the 1996 incident in a department store dressing room.
After a two-week civil trial, jurors deliberated for less than three hours before reaching a verdict. During the trial, the former president provided just three minutes of testimony.
Initially dismissive of the lawsuit, Stephanopoulos told Stephen Colbert that he wouldn't be "intimidated out of doing [his] job because of a threat." He further said, "Trump sued me for using the word 'rape,' even though a judge ruled that's what actually occurred. We filed a motion to dismiss."
In addition, Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News, accusing the network of "deceptive conduct" during an October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to the lawsuit, Trump's legal team alleged multiple violations by CBS, including what they described as deliberate and malicious falsehoods. They claim the network engaged in "partisan and unlawful actions of election and voter interference through intentional, deceptive, and substantial news distortion designed to mislead and confuse the public."
Trump's team also accused CBS News of trying to shield Democrats by portraying Harris' performance more favorably than it actually was.
