ABC News, Stephanopoulos to Pay $15M, Apologize to Trump in Defamation Settlement

Dec 15, 2024, 12:01 AM

ABC News and its anchor George Stephanopoulos have agreed to pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by President-elect Donald Trump. The lawsuit stemmed from Stephanopoulos's inaccurate on-air assertion, made during a March interview with Rep. Nancy Mace on 'This Week,' that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. As part of the settlement, ABC News and Stephanopoulos will issue public apologies and statements of regret to Trump, contribute $15 million toward Trump's presidential library, and publish a corrective statement on the online article accompanying the interview. The network will also cover $1 million in Trump's legal fees.