ABC News has agreed to a significant settlement of $15 million with President-elect Donald Trump, concluding a defamation lawsuit stemming from remarks made by star anchor George Stephanopoulos. In an interview aired on March 10, Stephanopoulos inaccurately claimed that Trump had been found "liable for rape," which led to outrage and the subsequent legal battle.
The remarks from Stephanopoulos were made during a challenging interview with Congresswoman Nancy Mace regarding her support for Trump. The statements persisted throughout the interview, resulting in a civil jury earlier ruling that while Trump was liable for "sexual abuse," the legal definition of rape under New York law was not met.
As part of the settlement announced over the weekend, ABC News will also express its regret via a formal statement that will accompany the article related to the interview online. Furthermore, the settlement requires ABC to make a $15 million charitable contribution to a presidential foundation or museum linked to Trump, along with an additional $1 million to cover legal fees.
An ABC spokesperson conveyed their satisfaction with the dismissal of the lawsuit under the agreed terms. Last year, a New York civil court found Trump liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in a separate case dating back to 1996, leading to an $83.3 million payout for additional defamatory remarks against her.
This legal situation follows several previous lawsuits filed by Trump against media organizations, including attempts against CBS and the BBC related to other public interviews and statements. While some of these lawsuits have been dismissed, the ABC News settlement exemplifies the ongoing intersection of politics, media statements, and legal repercussions in Trump's contentious relationship with the press.
