ABC News and George Stephanopoulos have agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit with Donald Trump, resolving a legal dispute that could have cost the network millions in a public trial. The settlement, filed on Saturday, details that ABC News will pay Trump a substantial $15 million, which will be directed to a charitable foundation linked to the future presidential museum and library he plans to establish. The network will also cover $1 million in Trump’s attorney fees.
The issue at the heart of the lawsuit stems from comments Stephanopoulos made during an interview on ABC’s This Week with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) on March 10, 2024. During the segment, Stephanopoulos repeatedly claimed that Trump had responsible for “liable for rape” in a civil court case filed by E. Jean Carroll, despite the fact that the jury only found Trump liable for sexual abuse—not rape as the anchor suggested. The claim was widely seen as misleading and defamatory, prompting Trump to take legal action.
In addition to the financial settlement, ABC News and Stephanopoulos issued a public “regret” regarding the statements made during the broadcast. An editor’s note was added to the online article from the interview, reading, “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos feel sorry about statements about Donald J. Trump made in the middle of a sit down meeting by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace in March, 2024.”
Trump’s legal team, led by Florida-based attorneys Alejandro Brito and Richard Klugh, had been preparing for depositions in the case before the settlement was reached, avoiding the need for a lengthy trial. The deal was filed in the Southern District of Florida Federal Court, where both parties agreed to the terms.
This settlement marks another significant victory for Trump and his legal team, who have seen a series of favorable outcomes recently. Notably, Trump won a legal victory when a federal judge dismissed charges in a case related to the 2020 election, and his legal team also succeeded in getting the charges related to the classified documents case dropped.
The timing of the settlement is notable as Trump continues to battle other legal challenges, including a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against CBS News, claiming the network attempted to interfere in the upcoming election with its October interview of Vice President Kamala Harris. This latest legal victory, combined with ongoing wins in other cases, strengthens Trump’s position as he prepares for the 2024 election.