ABC News Settles Defamation Lawsuit with Donald Trump for $15 Million
In a significant legal development, ABC News has agreed to pay former US President Donald Trump a substantial sum of $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit stemming from inaccurate statements made by its prominent anchor, George Stephanopoulos. The settlement marks a resolution to a dispute sparked by Stephanopoulos’s repeated assertion that Trump had been found "liable for rape," a claim that misrepresented the actual legal findings. The settlement also includes an additional $1 million to cover Trump’s legal expenses.
The controversy originated from a March 10, 2024, broadcast of ABC’s "This Week," during which Stephanopoulos interviewed Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace. While questioning Mace’s endorsement of Trump, Stephanopoulos erroneously stated on multiple occasions that "judges and two separate juries" had found Trump liable for rape. This assertion directly contradicted the actual court rulings, which found Trump liable for "sexual abuse," a distinct legal term under New York law, but not rape as narrowly defined by that same law.
The $15 million settlement will be directed towards a future presidential library or museum established by or for President Trump, following the precedent set by previous US presidents. This designation aims to allocate the funds towards a historically significant and publicly accessible institution dedicated to preserving and showcasing the legacy of the Trump presidency.
As part of the settlement, ABC News has published an editor’s note expressing regret for the inaccurate statements made by Stephanopoulos. This public acknowledgment of the error underscores the network’s commitment to journalistic accuracy and its recognition of the potential harm caused by the mischaracterization of the legal findings against Trump. The editor’s note, appended to the online version of the March 10, 2024 article, states that both ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret the statements made regarding President Trump during the interview with Representative Mace.
The underlying legal context of the defamation suit relates to a 2023 civil court case in New York, where a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room in 1996. The jury also found Trump liable for defaming Carroll. However, the court explicitly clarified that while the jury’s finding established sexual abuse, it did not constitute a finding of rape within the specific legal definition under New York law. This crucial distinction formed the basis of Trump’s defamation suit against ABC, arguing that Stephanopoulos’s repeated characterization of the ruling as a finding of "rape" was false and defamatory.
This settlement resolves the legal dispute between ABC News and Donald Trump, averting a potentially protracted and costly legal battle. While Trump has pursued other legal actions against media organizations, including suits against CBS and previously dismissed cases against CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, this particular case concluded with a significant financial settlement and a public acknowledgment of error by ABC News. The settlement underscores the ongoing tension between public figures and media outlets, particularly regarding the accurate reporting of complex legal proceedings and the potential damage caused by mischaracterizations. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of precise language and adherence to factual accuracy in reporting on sensitive legal matters.