ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos have reached a settlement with President-elect Donald Trump. The network has agreed to issue an apology and pay a Trump-related foundation $15 million, along with $1 million for Trump’s attorney fees.
The settlement, filed in federal court in Miami, is seen as a win for Trump. He sued the network and Stephanopoulos for libel after Stephanopoulos made on-air comments regarding Trump’s involvement in a defamation case with writer E. Jean Carroll. While a jury did find that Trump sexually abused and defamed Carroll, they did not find him liable for rape. However, a federal judge later affirmed that it was accurate to say Trump was found liable for rape in common modern language.
As part of the settlement, ABC News will add an editor’s note expressing regret to the online article containing Stephanopoulos’ comments. A spokesperson for ABC News stated, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit as per the court filing.”
This agreement comes after a federal magistrate judge ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to undergo four-hour depositions next week.
Trump’s lawsuit against ABC and Stephanopoulos is just one of several legal battles the president-elect has initiated against media outlets and political adversaries. During his presidential campaign, Trump used these lawsuits to garner publicity and frame himself as a victim of unfair targeting. With his return to the White House secured, any pending cases could prove troublesome as Trump may be required to provide testimony and submit relevant documents.
