ABC News Settles Defamation Lawsuit with Trump for $15M

AkoniTV December 15, 2024 Global Leave a comment 28 Views

ABC News has reached a settlement of $15 million with Donald Trump in a defamation case following inaccurate claims made by anchor George Stephanopoulos. During a broadcast in March 2024, Stephanopoulos falsely stated multiple times that Trump had been found “liable for rape,” referring to previous legal rulings. While a New York jury had found Trump liable for “sexual abuse,” the term used was distinct from rape in the legal context.

As part of the settlement, ABC News will also pay $1 million toward Trump’s legal fees and issue an official statement of regret for the misleading statements. The network will post an editor’s note on the online article that covered the incident, acknowledging their error and expressing regret for the incorrect claims made during the March interview with Rep. Nancy Mace.

Trump’s defamation case stemmed from comments made by Stephanopoulos during a contentious interview. The repeated falsehood that Trump had been found liable for rape was a central issue. Despite the court’s clarification that Trump was not convicted of rape in this case, Stephanopoulos’ statements on air did not align with the court’s findings, leading to the legal dispute.

This settlement follows a series of other legal battles Trump has faced regarding defamation, including those related to accusations made by columnist E Jean Carroll. While Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, the legal standard for rape under New York law was not met, contributing to the complexities of his legal outcomes in related cases.

In addition to the $15 million settlement, Trump has ongoing legal actions against other media outlets, such as CBS, BBC, and CNN. Despite setbacks in some of these cases, including the dismissal of lawsuits against CNN and others, the settlement with ABC News marks a significant victory for Trump in his ongoing battle over defamatory media claims.