ABC News, Stephanopoulos Agree To Pay $15 Million Fine For Defaming Trump
George Stephanopoulos and ABC News have reached a settlement with President-elect Donald Trump following a contentious incident earlier this year.
The situation arose from a heated March interview between Stephanopoulos and South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, during which the anchor accused Trump of being a “rapist.”
“You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape. How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?” Stephanopoulos asked Mace after playing a clip of her discussing her own experience with assault.
Rep. Mace, herself a survivor of sexual assault, did not hold back in her response.
“Well, I will tell you. I was raped at the age of 16, and any rape victim will tell you—I’ve lived for 30 years with an incredible amount of shame over being raped. I didn’t come forward because of that judgment and shame that I felt, and it’s a shame that you will never feel, George. And I’m not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me about another potential rape victim. I’m not going to do that,” she said.
Stephanopoulos attempted to clarify, “It’s actually not about shaming you, it’s a question about Donald Trump…”
But Mace pushed back: “No, you are shaming me.”
The exchange grew more heated as Stephanopoulos reiterated his question, and Mace firmly rebuked him.
“It was not a criminal court case, number one. Number two, I live with shame, and you’re asking me a question about my political choices trying to shame me as a rape victim, and I find it disgusting,” she said.
She further criticized E. Jean Carroll, whose allegations against Trump had been central to the court cases, for comments she made after receiving a judgment in her favor. “Quite frankly, E. Jean Carroll’s comments when she did get the judgment, joking about what she was going to buy, it makes it harder for women to come forward when they make a mockery out of rape. When they joke about it. It’s not—it’s not OK,” Mace said.
Following this interview, Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against Stephanopoulos and ABC News. On Saturday, the parties reached a settlement agreement. The terms include a $15 million payment by ABC News and Stephanopoulos as a charitable contribution to a “Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for Plaintiff, as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past.” Additionally, $1 million will be paid to cover Trump’s attorney’s fees.
ABC News was also required to issue a public statement of “regret” regarding the interview. 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.”
The settlement was acknowledged by an ABC News spokesperson, who said, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
This resolution follows earlier remarks by Stephanopoulos, who had been defiant when the lawsuit was first filed. Speaking on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he said, “Trump sued me because I used the word ‘rape,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss.”
Despite his initial confidence, the settlement brings the matter to a close, with significant financial and reputational repercussions for both Stephanopoulos and ABC News.