ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by President-elect Donald Trump following inaccurate on-air remarks made by anchor George Stephanopoulos. The lawsuit stemmed from comments where Stephanopoulos incorrectly stated that Trump had been “found liable for raping” writer E. Jean Carroll—a mischaracterization of the jury verdicts in Carroll’s two civil lawsuits.
The settlement, finalized on Saturday, also requires ABC News and Stephanopoulos to issue public apologies. According to court documents, the apology will take place during a live broadcast of This Week, specifically during an interview with Representative Nancy Mace. Additionally, the network agreed to pay an extra $1 million to cover Trump’s legal fees.
The terms further stipulate that the $15 million settlement will be directed as a donation to a fund supporting “a presidential foundation and museum” in Trump’s name.
The Background of the Case
The comments in question were related to two high-profile civil trials involving Trump and E. Jean Carroll, a writer who alleged Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s.
- In the first trial, held in 2023, Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation but not rape under New York civil law. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.
- In January 2024, a second trial resulted in Trump being found liable for additional defamation claims, with a jury ordering him to pay Carroll $83.3 million. Trump is appealing both verdicts.
Stephanopoulos’s misstatement conflated “sexual abuse” with “rape,” prompting Trump to file the lawsuit in Miami federal court.
The Settlement and Broader Context
The case was settled just one day after U.S. District Judge Lisette M. Reid requested depositions from both Trump and Stephanopoulos. This resolution comes amidst a series of legal and political developments involving Trump. Since his re-election victory on November 5, Trump has scored multiple legal successes, including:
- A U.S. appeals court’s dismissal of charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
- A temporary pause in a separate federal case regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, though related racketeering charges in Georgia remain ongoing.
- The indefinite postponement of sentencing in Trump’s May conviction in a New York hush money case, the only criminal trial so far to reach a verdict.
The $15 million settlement adds to Trump’s growing legal momentum, serving both as a financial resolution and a political victory as he prepares for his return to the White House.
