ABC News Settles Trump Defamation Suit for $15M, Donates to His Library

Dec 16, 2024, 05:21 PM

ABC News has settled a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Donald Trump for $15 million. The lawsuit stemmed from comments made by George Stephanopoulos, who claimed on-air that Trump had been found liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll case. However, the jury had actually found Trump liable for sexual abuse, not rape, under New York law. ABC News and Stephanopoulos issued statements of regret for the inaccurate statements. The settlement includes a $15 million donation to Trump's future presidential library and $1 million to cover his legal fees. This settlement has raised concerns among media analysts and legal experts about the potential chilling effect on journalism, with some suggesting ABC settled to avoid potentially damaging discovery processes.