ABC News and George Stephanopoulos have reached a settlement with Donald Trump in his defamation lawsuit. The network will pay the president-elect $15 million.
The agreement avoids a trial and includes a $15 million charitable donation to a “Presidential foundation and museum” Trump plans to establish. ABC News will also cover $1 million in Trump’s attorney fees.
As part of the settlement, ABC News issued a statement of regret in an editor’s note tied to a March 10, 2024, article. The note expressed regret over comments Stephanopoulos made during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace.
ABC News said they are “pleased” to have resolved the case. “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit,” a spokesperson stated.
The lawsuit stemmed from Stephanopoulos’s claims that Trump was “liable for rape” during an interview with Mace. The statements referenced a civil case involving Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll.
A jury found Trump liable for “sexual abuse,” not rape, which has a different legal definition under New York law. Stephanopoulos repeated the rape claim multiple times during the interview.
Trump’s lawsuit came after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid ordered both parties to give depositions ahead of a trial deadline. The settlement was signed in the Southern District of Florida Federal Court.
This is one of several recent legal victories for Trump. A judge recently dismissed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s classified records case and allowed Trump to file a motion to dismiss charges in Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s case.
Trump is also suing CBS News for $10 billion, alleging deceptive conduct during an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.