Trump Called a ‘Rapist,’ Brzezinski Backtracks [WATCH]

During a live broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday, co-host Mika Brzezinski was forced to immediately correct false statements made by New York University professor Scott Galloway about President-elect Donald Trump.

Galloway had referred to Trump as a “rapist” during the segment, a claim Brzezinski swiftly addressed to avoid potential legal repercussions.

Galloway’s remarks stemmed from a civil case earlier this year in which Trump was found liable for sexually abusing former Elle magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll.

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However, Trump was not found liable for rape, a distinction Brzezinski promptly clarified following Galloway’s comments.

In his statement, Galloway said, “We are in the midst of a series of small revolutions to correct income inequality. And the reason we put an insurrectionist and a rapist in office is because, for the first time in our nation’s history, a 30-year-old man or woman isn’t doing as well as his or her parents were at thirty.”

Brzezinski intervened after the segment, saying, “I want to make a comment though just about a word that was used in this interview. Donald Trump was tried civilly and was found liable of sexual abuse, not rape. But the judge in the case likened his actions to rape, but the liability was officially called sexual abuse.”

Morning Joe Meltdown: Trump Called a ‘Rapist,’ Brzezinski Scrambles to Correct…

During a live broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday, co-host Mika Brzezinski was forced to immediately correct false statements made by New York University professor Scott Galloway about… pic.twitter.com/sYTPdwOQPj

— RVM News (@redvoicenews) January 9, 2025

The civil case involving Carroll concluded in January, with the court awarding her $83.3 million in damages, including $65 million in punitive damages and $18.3 million in compensatory damages.

This isn’t the first instance where media figures have faced legal challenges over misstatements involving Trump.

Last year, ABC News host George Stephanopoulos settled a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump after incorrectly stating that two juries had found the president-elect “liable for rape.”

As part of the settlement, Stephanopoulos agreed to pay Trump $15 million by December 24, 2024, as a “charitable contribution” toward a future presidential foundation and museum.

Additionally, Stephanopoulos and ABC News were required to cover $1 million in attorney’s fees for Trump’s legal team.

ABC News also issued a correction on its website, adding an editor’s note to a March 10, 2024 article that read: “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.”

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George Stephanopolous falsely stated that President Trump “r*ped” E Jean Carroll

The settlement comes with an “apology” from ABC News as well:

“ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret… pic.twitter.com/KYzQiSPg1Z

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 14, 2024

The controversy over misstatements in the media extended beyond ABC News.

During a November episode of The View, co-host Whoopi Goldberg claimed without evidence that all of Trump’s cabinet picks had “sexual misconduct allegations.”

This statement also sparked criticism for its lack of substantiation.

The repeated need for clarifications and legal settlements highlights the legal and ethical challenges media organizations face in covering Trump-related stories.

As the president-elect prepares for his return to the White House, his contentious relationship with the press shows no signs of easing.

Brzezinski’s swift correction on MSNBC underscores the growing scrutiny on accuracy in reporting, particularly on issues involving high-profile figures like Trump.

While the segment moved on to broader discussions of income inequality and tax policy, the fallout from Galloway’s remarks serves as another reminder of the legal minefield surrounding misstatements in the media.

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