ABC News and one of its leading hosts, George Stephanopoulos, have decided to settle President-elect Trump’s defamation lawsuit, avoiding a potentially costly trial and threatening Donald Trump. The agreement with the president-elect was revealed in court documents released Saturday.
ABC News will pay $15 million in future “charitable contributions” by Dec. 24.[p]Housing Foundation and Museum” Trump, According to in court documents Share on FOX News.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida also ordered ABC News and Stephanopoulos to add an “editor’s note” to the article. Articles from March 10, 2024 within 24 hours. “ABC News and Mr. George Stephanopoulos regret comments made about President Donald J. Trump during Mr. George Stephanopoulos’ interview,” the memo states, according to the settlement. [Republican South Carolina] Congresswoman Nancy Mace appears on ABC’s “This Week” on March 10, 2024.
Both defendants were also ordered to pay $1 million in legal fees to Trump’s lawyers by Dec. 24 at the latest.
ABC News: “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit based on the terms of the court filing.” ABC News said.
JUST IN: ABC News forced to pay Trump $15 million to settle defamation lawsuit, George Stephanopoulos forced to issue public apology.
The development stems from an incident in March in which Stephanopoulos claimed Trump was found “responsible for rape.”
Well, ABC News has to pay $15… pic.twitter.com/jsRuetccuv
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 14, 2024
According to a March 10, 2024 ABC News article, Stephanopoulos repeatedly pressured Mace about the congressman’s support for Trump, despite his personal story of being raped as a teenager. It is said that he was (Related: ‘You’re ashamed of me’: Nancy Mace has tense exchange with ABC host over political choices as rape victim)
“Donald Trump was found responsible for rape by a jury. Donald Trump was found guilty by a jury of defaming a rape victim. Affirmed by a judge,” Stephanopoulos said. spoke.
Stephanopoulos was referring to a civil court ruling in May 2023 that found Trump liable for defamation and assault against former columnist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. Sexual abuse is clearly defined in New York state law, so President Trump was found guilty of sexual abuse but not liable for rape, Fox News reported. reported. Mr. Trump is appealing the ruling.
“This was not a criminal trial, number one, number two, I live with shame. And you ask me about my political choices to try to shame me as a rape victim. “I do,” Mace replied to Stephanopoulos.
Mace then accused Stephanopoulos of trying to bully and shame her for supporting Trump, adding that the commentator’s line of questioning shocked her.
Mr Trump accused ABC News and Mr Stephanopoulos of making malicious comments. “In fact, the jury explicitly found that the plaintiff did not commit rape, and as shown below, defendant George Stephanopoulos was aware of the jury’s finding in this regard and yet falsely claimed otherwise. ,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in the complaint.
