ABC News, George Stephanopoulos Settle Trump Defamation Suit, Forced To Pay President-Elect Millions

ABC News and one of its leading hosts, George Stephanopoulos, agreed Saturday with President-elect Donald Trump to settle Trump’s defamation lawsuit against them, avoiding a potentially costly trial.

ABC News will pay $15 million by Dec. 24 as a “charitable contribution” towards a yet-to-be-built presidential foundation or museum for Trump, according to court documents shared by FOX News.

The U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida also ordered ABC News and Stephanopoulos to add an “Editor’s Note” to a March 10, 2024 article within 24 hours. The note — according to the settlement — will state that “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with [Republican South Carolina] Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”

Both defendants were also ordered to pay $1 million in attorney’s fees to Trump’s counsel no later than Dec. 24.

“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News said.

JUST IN: ABC News forced to pay $15 million to Trump to settle defamation lawsuit, George Stephanopoulos forced to issue public apology.

The development stems from a March incident where Stephanopoulos claimed Trump was found “liable for r*pe.”

Now, ABC News has to pay $15… pic.twitter.com/jsRuetccuv

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 14, 2024

Stephanopoulos had repeatedly pressed Mace over the lawmaker’s support for Trump despite her personal story of suffering rape in her teenage years, according to the March 10, 2024 ABC News article. (RELATED: ‘You Are Shaming Me’: Nancy Mace Has Tense Exchange With ABC Host Over Her Political Choices As Rape Victim)

“Donald Trump has been found liable for rape by a jury. Donald Trump has been found liable for defaming the victim of that rape by a jury. It’s been affirmed by a judge,” Stephanopoulos said.

Stephanopoulos was referencing a civil court’s May 2023 verdict which found Trump liable for defamation and battery of former columnist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. Trump was found liable for sexual abuse but not for rape, as sexual abuse is distinctly defined under New York law, FOX News reported. Trump is appealing the verdict.

“It was not a criminal court case, No. 1. No. 2, I live with shame. And you’re asking me a question about my political choices trying to shame me as a rape victim,” Mace replied to Stephanopoulos.

Mace later accused Stephanopoulos of attempting to bully and shame her for supporting Trump, adding that the commentator’s line of questioning shocked her.

Trump sued ABC News and Stephanopoulos, accusing the latter of making malicious statements. “Indeed, the jury expressly found that Plaintiff did not commit rape and, as demonstrated below, Defendant George Stephanopoulos was aware of the jury’s finding in this regard yet still falsely stated otherwise,” Trump’s attorney wrote in the complaint.