Liberals Panic as ABC Settles With Trump, Fear ‘Chilling Effect’ [WATCH]

ABC News and its host George Stephanopoulos have settled a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Donald Trump for $15 million, following a contentious interview where Stephanopoulos inaccurately stated that Trump was “found liable for rape.”

The settlement, announced Saturday, has drawn sharp criticism from liberal commentators and media figures, with concerns raised about its implications for press freedom and media accountability.

As part of the agreement, ABC News will pay $15 million as a charitable contribution to a future presidential foundation and museum established by Trump.

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Additionally, the network will cover $1 million in attorney fees for Trump. ABC News and Stephanopoulos were also required to issue a statement of “regret,” which now appears as an editor’s note on a March 10, 2024, article that contained the disputed comments.

The statement reads, “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”

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

The lawsuit stemmed from an interview where Stephanopoulos said Trump was “found liable for rape” in the civil case brought by E. Jean Carroll.

While a jury held Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, it did not find him liable for rape, a key distinction Trump’s legal team argued was misrepresented.

Critics of the settlement took to social media and appeared on news programs to voice their concerns. MSNBC legal analyst Barbara McQuade criticized ABC News for what she described as “caving,” arguing that the settlement could create a chilling effect on future media coverage of Trump’s presidency.

“It seems that ABC had a very strong case here, and yet they sort of caved anyway. And I think it sends a bad signal to other media enterprises. It might have a chilling effect or self-censoring effect on the media as they cover the Trump administration,” McQuade said during an appearance on MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi.

Marc E. Elias, a prominent Democratic election lawyer, echoed these sentiments in a post on X, writing, “Knee bent. Ring kissed. Another legacy news outlet chooses obedience.”

Knee bent. Ring kissed. Another legacy news outlet chooses obedience.

A reminder, Democracy Docket is fiercely independent and unapologetically pro-democracy. It will not back down. It will not obey. Sign-up to support. https://t.co/0PSBfyQbMf… https://t.co/6vOCefpS3y

— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) December 14, 2024

Liberal commentators have raised alarm about the broader implications of the settlement. USA Today opinion columnist Jessica Barlow, writing on Bluesky, argued that Stephanopoulos’s statement was “colloquial” and that settling with Trump could embolden further legal challenges against the media. “First the LA Times, then the Washington Post, and now ABC News. They are all falling to Donald Trump,” she wrote.

MSNBC host Symone Sanders also defended Stephanopoulos during a Saturday segment, stating, “This seems quite targeted, and I don’t think George Stephanopoulos was wrong. I’m sorry.”

More @SymoneDSanders on @TheWeekendMSNBC: “We want to be accurate” and rued: “This seems quite targeted and I don’t think George Stephanopoulos was wrong. I’m sorry.” When guest doesn’t immediately agree, Sanders: “This is the chilling effect!” pic.twitter.com/kToqhUDxf0

— Brent Baker (@BrentHBaker) December 15, 2024

The settlement has sparked debate over the role of defamation suits in holding media outlets accountable versus the potential for such cases to deter critical reporting.

LA Times legal columnist Harry Litman expressed concern about the timing of the settlement and its impact on public confidence in media institutions. “He is on a roll and a roll that is really unsettling in terms of public confidence in the criminal justice system and media confidence,” Litman said on MSNBC.

Norm Eisen, a CNN legal analyst, also weighed in, expressing doubt that Stephanopoulos personally supported settling. “George Stephanopoulos did not libel Trump—& I very much doubt George wanted to settle,” Eisen posted on Bluesky.

This settlement marks yet another significant defamation victory for Trump, who has pursued legal action against several media outlets in recent years.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the media misrepresents him and vowed to hold outlets accountable during his second term.

Critics argue the settlement may embolden Trump’s efforts to challenge what he has described as a biased media, while others see it as a necessary corrective to ensure factual reporting.

Either way, the settlement underscores the contentious relationship between Trump and the press as he prepares to take office in January.

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