A legal battle between former President Donald Trump and a major news network comes to a definitive close with substantial financial implications.
According to Breitbart News, ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos have agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit with President-elect Donald Trump, agreeing to pay $15 million toward his future presidential library, cover attorney fees, and issue a public apology.
The settlement stems from statements made during a March 10, 2024 broadcast of ABC's "This Week," where Stephanopoulos, while interviewing Representative Nancy Mace, made claims about Trump being found liable for rape.
The network has now acknowledged the need to correct these statements and has agreed to append an editor's note to the relevant article addressing the matter.
The agreement includes multiple components designed to address the alleged defamation. ABC News will place $15 million in escrow specifically earmarked for Trump's future presidential library and foundation. The network has also committed to paying $1 million in legal fees incurred during the proceedings.
As part of the settlement, ABC News was required to issue a formal statement of regret. The editor's note attached to the article explicitly acknowledges the network's remorse regarding the statements made during the Mace interview.
The case highlights the increasingly contentious relationship between media organizations and public figures. Legal experts suggest this settlement could have broader implications for how news organizations approach reporting on public figures.
Breitbart News senior legal contributor Ken Klukowski offered his perspective on the settlement's significance. His analysis emphasizes the unusual nature of such a substantial settlement given the typically high bar for defamation cases involving public figures.
According to Klukowski:
It is encouraging to see the legacy media being held accountable for slandering someone they politically oppose. The Supreme Court in 1964 improperly invented a First Amendment defamation shield when it comes to public figures like President Trump, so this settlement highlights just how outrageous Stephanopoulos's lies were, and should embolden Republicans and conservatives to push back in the face of such egregious misconduct.
The settlement represents a significant victory for Trump's legal team, who had argued that Stephanopoulos's characterization of previous legal verdicts was inaccurate and damaging to Trump's reputation.
The resolution of this high-profile defamation case between President-elect Donald Trump and ABC News marks a significant moment in media accountability. The settlement, totaling $16 million including legal fees, stems from statements made by George Stephanopoulos during a March 2024 interview that Trump's legal team successfully challenged as defamatory.
The agreement requires ABC News to issue a public apology and make a substantial contribution to Trump's future presidential library, while also establishing a precedent for media responsibility in reporting on public figures.
This case demonstrates the potential consequences of contested statements made during political coverage and may influence future journalistic practices in covering controversial public figures.
