Trump gets $15m in ABC News defamation case
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ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit after its anchor, George Stephanopoulos, falsely claimed Trump had been found “liable for rape.” The incident occurred on March 10, 2024, during an interview with Congresswoman Nancy Mace, where Stephanopoulos repeatedly made the false statement while challenging her about supporting Trump.
The defamation stemmed from a civil case in which a New York jury found Trump liable for “sexual abuse” in relation to an encounter with journalist E. Jean Carroll in 1996. However, the jury did not find Trump guilty of rape under the specific legal definition of rape in New York, which is narrower than common understandings of the term. This legal distinction was clarified by Judge Lewis Kaplan, who noted that the term “rape” in New York law is technically limited and did not encompass the jury’s findings of sexual abuse.
As part of the settlement, which was first reported by Fox News Digital, ABC News will make a charitable contribution of $15 million to a “Presidential foundation and museum” to be established for Trump, similar to those created for other U.S. presidents. This amount is intended for Trump’s future presidential library. Additionally, ABC has agreed to pay $1 million toward Trump’s legal fees.
The network also issued an editor’s note expressing regret for Stephanopoulos’s statements. The note, which will be added to the bottom of ABC’s March 10 article, states, “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 stated the company was “pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” emphasizing the settlement’s resolution.
In the background of this defamation case is a broader legal saga involving Trump and his allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2023, a New York civil court found that Trump had sexually abused E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room in 1996, although the jury concluded that Carroll had not proven that Trump raped her according to New York’s strict legal definition. The court also found Trump liable for defaming Carroll. Subsequently, Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million in damages. In a separate case, a jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million for additional defamatory comments Trump made about her.
Trump is currently appealing both the verdicts in the sexual abuse and defamation cases, but the defamation case with ABC is a separate matter. The false claim made by Stephanopoulos was significant because it repeated the assertion that Trump had been “found liable for rape,” which was not consistent with the court’s ruling. Throughout the March 2024 interview, Stephanopoulos repeated the claim about Trump being found “liable for rape” at least 10 times, leading to public backlash and the defamation lawsuit.
The legal proceedings regarding the defamation claim were set to proceed with depositions, where both Trump and Stephanopoulos were expected to give sworn testimony. However, the settlement brought an end to the case.
Trump has a history of filing lawsuits against media outlets over alleged defamation. In addition to his case against ABC News, Trump has filed lawsuits against CBS and the BBC’s U.S. broadcast partner over “deceptive conduct” during an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. He also previously sued CNN for defamation, claiming the network likened him to Adolf Hitler, though a judge dismissed the case in 2023. Trump has also had defamation suits filed against The New York Times and The Washington Post dismissed.
Despite his legal battles, Trump has managed to secure a significant financial settlement in the ABC News case, which further highlights the ongoing tension between Trump and media organizations. While the case has now been settled, it underscores the contentious nature of Trump’s relationship with the media and the legal complexities surrounding defamation lawsuits. The settlement, which includes a significant monetary contribution to his future presidential library, reflects the high stakes in these legal disputes.
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