ABC news settles $15m defamation case with Trump Library
ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million to Donald Trump's presidential library as part of a settlement regarding a defamation lawsuit. In a March episode of "This Week," the network's prominent presenter, George Stephanopoulos, incorrectly claimed that the Republican was found guilty of raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
According to the settlement announced on Saturday, ABC News has posted a statement on its website expressing regret for Stephanopoulos's comments. The network will also pay an additional $1 million to cover attorney fees for Trump's lawyer, Alejandro Brito.
ABC will allocate $15 million to the planned Trump presidential library as a "charitable contribution."
"We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing," said ABC News spokeswoman Jeannie Kedas.
As reported by the Associated Press, during a live interview on "This Week" with Congresswoman Nancy Mace, Stephanopoulos stated that Trump was "found liable for rape" and "defaming the victim of that rape."
In the first court trial, Trump was found guilty of sexual assault and defamation of Carroll (but not rape) last year. The jury ordered him to pay the victim $5 million. In January, during the second trial, the Republican was additionally convicted of defamation and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million. Trump has appealed both verdicts.
Carroll, a former columnist, wrote in her 2019 autobiography that Trump raped her in the mid-90s at the upscale Bergdorf Goodman store in New York City, after they accidentally met at the entrance. The Republican denied the allegations, claiming he does not know Carroll and never met her at the department store.
