NEW YORK : ABC News has reached a settlement in a defamation lawsuit filed by President-elect Donald Trump, agreeing to pay $15 million toward his upcoming presidential library. The case arose after anchor George Stephanopoulos made inaccurate on-air comments claiming Trump had been civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
As part of the settlement, ABC News has posted an editor’s note expressing regret for Stephanopoulos’ remarks, made during a March 10 segment of “This Week.” The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito. The agreement, made public Saturday, averts depositions that were scheduled for both Trump and Stephanopoulos this week.
Settlement Details and Implications
ABC’s $15 million payment is described in the settlement as a “charitable contribution” earmarked for a non-profit organization tied to Trump’s yet-to-be-built presidential library. The network must transfer the funds into an escrow account managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” said Jeannie Kedas, a spokesperson for ABC News.
A Trump spokesperson declined to comment on the settlement.
Averting Depositions and Further Legal Battles
The settlement was reached just hours before a federal judge in Florida ordered both Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for depositions. The agreement eliminates the need for sworn testimony, avoiding what could have been a high-profile and contentious legal exchange.
The settlement document bore Trump’s distinctive signature, alongside an electronic signature from Stephanopoulos and ABC News Group president Debra OConnell.
The Origin of the Defamation Claim
Trump filed the defamation lawsuit against ABC and Stephanopoulos shortly after the March broadcast. During an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Stephanopoulos inaccurately claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and for “defaming the victim of that rape” in civil trials.
In reality, while Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuits, he was not found liable for rape under New York law, which has a narrow legal definition requiring vaginal penetration by a penis.
In the first trial, a jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million. In a second trial, Trump was found liable for additional defamation claims and ordered to pay $83.3 million. Trump has appealed both verdicts.
E. Jean Carroll’s Allegations
E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist, accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury department store near Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Carroll’s account detailed how Trump allegedly pushed her into a dressing room, forcibly kissed her, and then sexually assaulted her. She testified that she kneed him off her and fled. Trump has consistently denied the allegations, calling them fabricated and politically motivated.
Carroll’s lawsuit sought damages for defamation after Trump publicly dismissed her allegations as false and labeled her a “nut job.”
Legal and Political Ramifications
The defamation lawsuit and subsequent settlement have drawn significant public attention, highlighting the intersection of media accountability, legal precision, and political polarization.
Critics of ABC News, including members of Trump’s legal team, argue that the network’s reporting on the Carroll verdicts misled the public and fueled a broader narrative of defamation against Trump.
Meanwhile, the settlement ensures Trump’s presidential library receives a substantial financial boost, though $15 million represents only a fraction of the likely cost. For comparison, former President Barack Obama’s presidential library in Chicago was estimated to cost $830 million as of 2021.
Media and Public Reaction
The settlement has sparked debate over journalistic standards, particularly in high-profile cases involving public figures. ABC’s agreement to settle rather than fight the case in court could be seen as an acknowledgment of error.
Stephanopoulos, a veteran journalist and former White House communications director under Bill Clinton, has faced scrutiny for the inaccuracies in his reporting.
Federal and Legal Commentary
While federal officials have clarified the legal distinctions between the verdicts in Carroll’s lawsuits, the media and public have often conflated terms like “rape” and “sexual abuse,” leading to misunderstandings about the nature of the judgments against Trump.
In his ruling upholding the $5 million judgment, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan emphasized that New York’s narrow legal definition of rape does not align with broader societal interpretations of the term. The judge noted that the jury had essentially found Trump guilty of acts commonly understood as rape, even if they did not meet the state’s specific legal criteria.
Political Context and Reactions
The settlement has also become a political flashpoint, with Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike weighing in.
Several Republican lawmakers have criticized the Biden administration for what they perceive as a lack of oversight regarding media accountability. President-elect Donald Trump has used the incident to bolster his claims of bias against him in mainstream media.
Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., called for “greater transparency” in cases involving public figures and media outlets, while Governor Kathy Hochul of New York issued a statement urging the federal government to address media misinformation more rigorously.
Trump’s Presidential Library Plans
The $15 million settlement brings renewed focus to Trump’s presidential library, which remains in the planning stages. While details about its location and design are still under wraps, the library is expected to serve as a hub for Trump’s supporters and a repository for his administration’s legacy.
Conclusion
The $15 million settlement between ABC News and Donald Trump represents a rare and significant resolution to a high-profile defamation lawsuit. Beyond its immediate financial and legal implications, the case underscores the importance of accuracy in reporting, especially in matters involving public figures and contentious legal battles.
As Trump prepares to assume the presidency once again, this settlement marks yet another chapter in his complex relationship with the media, reflecting the broader dynamics of accountability, partisanship, and public trust in the digital age.