Settlement Agreement and Public Apology
ABC News will pay Trump $15 million to resolve a defamation lawsuit over false claims made by George Stephanopoulos. The settlement also includes a $1 million payment to cover Trump’s legal fees.
Stephanopoulos falsely stated Trump was “liable for rape” during a March 10, 2024, interview with Rep. Nancy Mace. He repeated the claim ten times while questioning Mace’s support for Trump.
In 2023, a New York jury found Trump liable for “sexual abuse” but not rape under New York’s legal definition. Judge Lewis Kaplan noted the legal definition of rape is narrower than its modern usage.
As part of the settlement, ABC will post a statement of “regret” in its March 10, 2024, online article. The statement reads: “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”
Trump’s Legal Battles with Media Outlets
The settlement requires ABC’s $15 million payment to fund a “Presidential foundation and museum” established by or for Trump. ABC’s spokesperson said the company was “pleased” to resolve the case on the agreed terms.
In 2023, a New York court found Trump sexually abused E. Jean Carroll in a 1996 department store incident but did not find him liable for rape. The court ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million for defamation in a related case.
During the March 2024 broadcast, Stephanopoulos claimed “judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape” multiple times. This statement contradicted the 2023 civil court ruling.
Before the settlement, a judge ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to give depositions in the case. Trump’s other legal battles with media outlets have had mixed outcomes. His lawsuit against CNN for defamation was dismissed. Cases against CBS, the New York Times, and the Washington Post were also dismissed.
