Trump Secures $15M in ABC News Defamation Settlement
ABC News has reached a $15 million settlement with United States President-elect Donald Trump in a defamation lawsuit stemming from inaccurate comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos.
During a March 10, 2024 broadcast of This Week, Stephanopoulos falsely stated that Trump had been found “liable for rape.” The statement, made during an interview with South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace, was repeated ten times and prompted Trump to pursue legal action.
The anchor’s claim contradicted a 2023 New York civil court ruling, which found Trump liable for “sexual abuse” and defamation against writer E. Jean Carroll but not rape, under the state’s specific legal definition.
Settlement Terms
As part of the settlement, ABC News will make a $15 million charitable contribution toward a “Presidential foundation and museum” to be established by or for Trump. The network will also pay $1 million to cover Trump’s legal fees.
Additionally, ABC News agreed to issue a public statement expressing regret for the inaccurate comments. An editor’s note will be appended to the online article about the March 10 broadcast, 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 spokesperson commented:
“The company is pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
Background of the Case
The original case involved allegations from writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexually abusing her in a department store dressing room in 1996. A New York jury ruled that Carroll failed to prove rape under the state’s narrow legal definition but held Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw the case, clarified that New York’s definition of rape is “far narrower” than commonly understood in modern contexts or in other jurisdictions. The jury awarded Ms. Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defamation.
Trump’s Legal Battles with the Media
The defamation suit against ABC News is one of several media-related lawsuits pursued by Trump in recent years.
He has filed claims against CBS and the BBC’s U.S. partner for “deceptive conduct.” However, a 2023 lawsuit against CNN was dismissed after Trump alleged the network likened him to Adolf Hitler. Similar lawsuits against The New York Times and The Washington Post were also dismissed in prior years.
The settlement with ABC News underscores Trump’s ongoing contention with media outlets and his pursuit of legal redress for statements he views as defamatory or misleading.
