Dec 14, 2024 - Business

ABC to pay $16 million to Trump foundation, lawyer over "rape" libel claim

Ben Berkowitz

Donald Trump at a podium under an ABC News logo. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

ABC will pay $15 million to President-elect Trump's museum foundation and $1 million in legal fees to settle a suit over comments by anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Why it matters: The settlement is one of the biggest any media company has struck with the former (and pending) president, who has sued a number of publishers over the years.

Catch up quick: Trump sued ABC News and Stephanopoulos in March after the anchor said during an interview that Trump was found civilly liable for raping author E. Jean Carroll.

Trump was found liable in a civil suit for sexually assaulting Carroll, but not raping her as defined by New York law.
On Friday a federal judge in Miami ordered both Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for deposition this coming week.
The settlement was also dated Friday but filed Saturday afternoon.

Between the lines: In addition to paying Trump's museum foundation and lawyers, ABC agreed to attach an apology to the March 10, 2024 article that included the interview.

"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.

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ABC to pay $16 million to Trump foundation, lawyer over "rape" libel claim

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