ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos have reached a settlement with President-elect Donald Trump over a defamation lawsuit stemming from false on-air statements. The agreement includes a public apology, a $15 million contribution to a "Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for Plaintiff," and $1 million in legal fees for Trump’s team.
The lawsuit centered on comments Stephanopoulos made during a March 2024 broadcast of This Week, where he falsely claimed that Trump had been found liable for rape in a civil case involving writer E. Jean Carroll. While a federal jury in Manhattan did find Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a department store in 1996, it did not conclude that he was liable for rape.
During the interview, Stephanopoulos pressed Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) about her endorsement of Trump, saying:
“You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape. How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with [your] testimony?”
The repeated mischaracterization led Trump to file the defamation suit, alleging damage to his reputation. As part of the settlement, ABC News and Stephanopoulos issued an editor's note stating:
"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."
An ABC News spokeswoman expressed satisfaction with the resolution:
"We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing."
Broader Legal Strategy
The settlement marks another chapter in Trump’s ongoing efforts to challenge media outlets he claims are spreading misinformation. Trump is also suing CBS News for $10 billion, alleging "deceptive conduct" during an October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, which he argues interfered with the presidential election.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s incoming White House communications director, emphasized Trump’s commitment to holding the media accountable:
"President Trump will continue to hold those who have committed, and are committing wrongdoings, accountable for blatantly false and dishonest reporting, which serves no public interest and only seeks to interfere in our elections on behalf of political partisans."
