Trump Wins $15 Million Settlement in Defamation Case Against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos
US President-elect Donald Trump has secured a $15 million settlement in a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and its prominent anchor George Stephanopoulos. The case stemmed from a statement made by Stephanopoulos, who had accused Trump of raping a woman, a claim that was not supported by a jury in a previous civil case. The settlement was reached just days before Trump and Stephanopoulos were scheduled to be questioned in court, marking the conclusion of the legal battle.
The case centered around a subtle legal distinction between “rape” and “sexual abuse.” While Stephanopoulos had stated that Trump had raped a woman, the jury in the civil case had only found that Trump had sexually abused the woman, not raped her. This discrepancy played a pivotal role in the defamation case.
Trump’s victory in this case is notable, as US defamation laws make it particularly difficult for public figures to win libel cases. Unlike in countries that follow British legal standards, in the US, a false statement about a public figure must be proven to have been made with “malicious intent” to defame or harm the person involved. This high bar for conviction has resulted in Trump losing defamation cases against major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN.
In this instance, ABC News opted to settle before the court reached a verdict. An ABC spokesperson confirmed the settlement, stating, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
There was no immediate response from Trump, who was attending a Navy vs. Army football game at the time the settlement was announced. As part of the settlement, ABC and Stephanopoulos agreed to express regret for the false statement, which would be posted on ABC’s website alongside the original story.
Stephanopoulos, a former communications director for President Bill Clinton and Democratic Party strategist, co-hosts the popular morning program Good Morning America. Trump has long accused ABC News of biased reporting, particularly during the Vice Presidential debate, which was hosted by the network. He has also pointed to the connection between Kamala Harris and Dana Walden, the chairperson of Disney, ABC’s parent company, who has made financial contributions to Harris’ political campaigns.
Trump continues to face legal challenges related to sexual abuse accusations. In 2023, a jury found that Trump had sexually abused journalist E. Jean Carroll, awarding her $5 million in damages. In another case, Trump was found to have emotionally harmed Carroll by publicly claiming she had lied, leading to $83.3 million in damages. Trump is appealing both cases and has posted a bond of $91 million.
