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ABC News has agreed to pay a $15 million settlement to resolve a defamation lawsuit filed by President-elect Donald Trump, according to court documents filed on Saturday. The lawsuit stemmed from comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos during a March interview with US Representative Nancy Mace, in which he said Trump had been found “liable for rape.”
As part of the settlement, ABC News will make a $15 million donation to a fund dedicated to a “presidential foundation and museum” for Trump. Additionally, both the news organization and Stephanopoulos will issue public apologies, expressing regret over the statements made during the interview. ABC News will also pay $1 million in attorney fees.
The lawsuit was settled one day after Judge Lisette M. Reid requested depositions from both Trump and Stephanopoulos. In a separate 2023 case, Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, which under New York law differs from rape.
This settlement represents the latest legal success for Trump following his victory in the November 5 presidential election. Recently, a US appeals court dismissed charges related to Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents, and Special Counsel Jack Smith paused a second federal case concerning Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump also faces racketeering charges in Georgia related to the same issue. In another legal matter, sentencing for Trump’s May conviction in the hush money case has been indefinitely postponed.
