ABC News is set to pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Donald J. Trump.
The NY Times reports the agreement was a significant concession by a major news organization and a rare victory for a media-bashing politician whose previous litigation efforts against news outlets have often ended in defeat.
Under the terms of a settlement revealed on Saturday, ABC News will donate the $15 million to Mr. Trump’s future presidential foundation and museum. The network and its star anchor, George Stephanopoulos, also published a statement saying they “regret” remarks made about Mr. Trump during a televised interview in March.
ABC News, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company, will pay Mr. Trump an additional $1 million for his legal fees.
The outcome is an unusual win for Trump, who has frequently sued news organizations for defamation and frequently lost, including in litigation against CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post.
According to The Wall Street Journal, ABC's George Stephanopoulos said on air earlier this year that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. A federal jury determined Trump was liable for sexual abuse.
In addition, Disney-owned ABC News posted a note on its website Saturday that said “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview” that aired March 10 on “This Week.”
JUST IN: ABC News forced to pay $15 million to Trump to settle defamation lawsuit, George Stephanopoulos forced to issue public apology.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 14, 2024
The development stems from a March incident where Stephanopoulos claimed Trump was found “liable for r*pe.”
Now, ABC News has to pay $15… pic.twitter.com/jsRuetccuv
Trump sued Stephanopoulos and ABC not long after the show aired.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit,” an ABC News spokesperson said.
ABC News did not elaborate on Saturday about its precise reasons for settling. “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” a network spokeswoman said. A lawyer for Mr. Trump declined to comment on the agreement.
Mr. Trump sued ABC and Mr. Stephanopoulos in March, after the anchor asked Representative Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, who has spoken publicly about being raped as a teenager, why she had continued to support Mr. Trump after he was found “liable for rape” in a 2023 civil case in Manhattan.
Some ABC News talent and staffers are stunned and furious about this settlement. Their anger primarily stems from the fact that they have faced repeated budget and compensation cuts in recent years, experienced layoffs, and yet the network — even if insurance paid it — has paid this huge sum of money to settle this matter.
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