President-elect Donald Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News in March, and the case has now been resolved.
Find out more about the lawsuit and its outcome below.
Why Did Trump Sue ABC News?
Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against George Stephanopoulos after the ABC News anchor claimed during a March interview that Trump had been found “liable for rape” in a civil case. The remark was made during a heated exchange between Stephanopoulos and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., following a clip in which Mace discussed being a rape victim.
After airing the clip, Stephanopoulos questioned Mace on her endorsement of Trump, stating that judges and two separate juries had found Trump “liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape.” This comment referred to the legal victory by Trump’s accuser, E. Jean Carroll.
Stephanopoulos repeated the claim several times during the interview, despite the fact that Trump had only been found liable for sexual abuse, not rape, in the 2023 case filed by the writer. Under New York law, sexual abuse is distinct from rape. In a subsequent ruling, Judge Lewis Kaplan clarified that while Carroll had not proven rape “within the meaning of New York Penal Law,” it did not mean that Trump had not “raped” her in the broader, common understanding of the term.
How Much Money Does ABC News Have to Pay Trump?
The news network has agreed to pay Donald Trump $15 million as part of the settlement, with the funds earmarked for donation to a fund dedicated to “a presidential foundation and museum” for Trump. Additionally, the settlement includes a payment of $1 million to cover Trump’s attorney fees, along with a formal apology from ABC News.
An editor’s note was also added to the bottom of the March 10, 2024, online article concerning the comments that prompted Trump’s defamation lawsuit. The note reads: “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.”
