ABC News and its chief anchor, George Stephanopoulos, have settled a defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump, with the news network agreeing to pay $15 million. The resolution, which was filed publicly on Saturday, allows both parties to avoid an expensive trial. According to the settlement, ABC News will contribute $15 million to a “Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for Plaintiff, as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past.” Additionally, the network will cover $1 million in Trump’s legal fees.
As part of the agreement, Stephanopoulos and ABC News issued statements of “regret” in an editor’s note appended to a March 10, 2024, online article. The note states: “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”
ABC News expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the case. “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” a network spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Trump initiated the defamation suit following comments Stephanopoulos made during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., in March. During the segment, Stephanopoulos claimed that Trump was found “liable for [assault]” in a civil case, referencing a legal victory for Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll. However, a jury had actually determined Trump was liable for “sexual abuse,” a distinct legal term under New York law.
In the interview, Stephanopoulos posed a pointed question to Mace, saying, “How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?” He continued, “You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for [assault] and for defaming the victim of that [assault].” The anchor reiterated the claim multiple times during the exchange, prompting Trump’s legal action.
Initially, Stephanopoulos stood firm against the lawsuit, stating on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he would not be intimidated. “Trump sued me because I used the word ‘[assault],’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss,” he remarked.
The settlement was reached shortly after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to participate in depositions ahead of a Dec. 24 deadline for filing a motion for summary judgment to avoid trial proceedings.
Trump was represented in the case by Florida attorneys Alejandro Brito and Richard Klugh. The settlement agreement was filed in the Southern District of Florida Federal Court, where both parties signed and formalized the terms.
This settlement is part of a series of recent legal successes for Trump and his legal team, coordinated by senior adviser Boris Epshteyn. Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan recently granted a motion to dismiss Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case against Trump related to the 2020 election. Additionally, Smith withdrew his appeal in the classified records case after a federal judge ruled his appointment as special counsel unlawful, leading to the dismissal of charges in July.
In another legal battle, Judge Juan Merchan allowed Trump to file a motion to dismiss charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and removed the sentencing date from the schedule in New York v. Trump.
Trump is also pursuing a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News, alleging “deceptive conduct” aimed at election interference during an October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
{Matzav.com}