Settlement Details and Public Apology
ABC News will pay $15 million to President-elect Donald Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit. The payment follows false statements by anchor George Stephanopoulos, who incorrectly claimed Trump was “liable for rape.” The settlement includes an additional $1 million for Trump’s legal fees.
On March 10, 2024, Stephanopoulos made the false statements multiple times during an interview with Representative Nancy Mace. The interview questioned her support for Trump. In 2023, a New York jury found Trump liable for “sexual abuse” but not rape under the technical definition of New York law.
As part of the settlement, ABC News will post a statement of “regret” in its March 10, 2024, online article. The statement will read: “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.”
Background on Trump’s Legal Battles
A 2023 New York civil court case determined Trump sexually abused E. Jean Carroll in 1996 but did not find him liable for rape. Judge Lewis Kaplan noted that New York’s legal definition of rape is narrower than modern usage. In a related case, the same judge ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million for defamation.
During the March 2024 broadcast, Stephanopoulos claimed that “judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape.” He repeated this false claim 10 times throughout the broadcast. Before the settlement, a judge had ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to provide sworn depositions.
According to the settlement, ABC’s $15 million payment will be a charitable contribution to a “Presidential foundation and museum” established by or for Trump. The agreement ends Trump’s lawsuit against ABC, with an ABC spokesperson stating the network was “pleased” the matter was resolved.
Trump’s legal actions against media outlets have had mixed results. He previously sued CBS for “deceptive conduct” and CNN for defamation, but his lawsuit against CNN was dismissed. Trump also filed lawsuits against the New York Times and the Washington Post, but both were dismissed.