ABC News will pay $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Donald Trump over statements made by George Stephanopoulos concerning legal rulings in favor of writer E. Jean Carroll, according to a settlement filed Saturday in Florida.
The agreement includes $15 million to establish a nonprofit for a presidential foundation and museum and $1 million to cover Trump’s attorney fees. The deal also requires ABC News to issue a public apology for Stephanopoulos’ remarks during a March 10, 2024, broadcast of “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,” in which he interviewed U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace.
Judge Found Statements Susceptible to Defamatory Interpretation
The settlement follows a ruling earlier this year by U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga, who found that Stephanopoulos’ comments could be interpreted as defamatory. Stephanopoulos had stated that Trump was found liable for raping Carroll, a claim that Trump’s legal team argued misrepresented the findings of a Manhattan federal jury.
