On Saturday, December 14th, ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos reached a settlement with Donald Trump, agreeing to pay $15 million to resolve a defamation lawsuit arising from comments made during a March 2024 interview. The agreement, which avoids a costly trial, includes a $15 million charitable contribution to Trump’s presidential library and a $1 million payment for legal fees.
The defamation suit was filed by Trump after Stephanopoulos incorrectly stated during an interview on This Week that Trump had been found liable for rape in a civil case involving writer E. Jean Carroll. Stephanopoulos made the claim multiple times while interviewing Representative Nancy Mace, despite the fact that a jury had found Trump liable only for sexual abuse, not rape, as defined under New York law.
As part of the settlement, ABC News issued a public apology, posting an editor’s note on its website. The note expressed regret over the misstatements made by Stephanopoulos, clarifying the network’s position on the matter. “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,” the note read.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” said ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Kedas.
The settlement, signed by both parties on Friday, also means that Trump and Stephanopoulos will avoid depositions scheduled for next week. Under the terms of the deal, ABC News must transfer the $15 million to an escrow account managed by Trump’s attorney within 10 days, in addition to paying the legal fees.
Trump filed the defamation lawsuit following Stephanopoulos’ repeated claims, which incorrectly suggested Trump had been found liable for rape in relation to Carroll’s lawsuits. While the jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, the legal definition of rape under New York law did not apply to the case.
