- ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit filed by Trump for $15 million.
- The money will go toward Trump’s future presidential library, according to court documents.
- Anchor George Stephanopoulos in March inaccurately said that Trump had been found “liable for rape.”
ABC News will pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s future presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by the president-elect, according to newly-filed court documents.
Trump filed the lawsuit over comments made by star anchor George Stephanopoulos in March on the Sunday program “This Week,” when the journalist said that Trump had been found “liable for rape” in a suit brought by the columnist E. Jean Carroll.
While the Manhattan jury found Trump liable for the sexual abuse of Carroll, he was not found “liable for rape,” as Stephanopoulos said on the program during an interview with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.
“Donald Trump has been found liable for defaming the victim of that rape by a jury,” Stephanopoulos said at the time. “It’s been affirmed by a judge.”
According to the settlement agreement, ABC News will place the $15 million in escrow, which will go toward Trump’s presidential library and foundation. The network also agreed to pay $1 million in attorneys’ fees, and it will place an editors’ note at the bottom of a March article.
The note 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.”
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News said in a statement.
Business Insider reached out to a spokesperson for Trump for comment.
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