Mainstream outlets have it out for Trump. And now they’re done for.
Because Trump was handed a major victory that put the left-wing media on its heels.
ABC News and its lead anchor George Stephanopoulos have settled a defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump, agreeing to a $15 million payout.
The settlement, filed on Saturday, avoids a high-profile trial and requires ABC News to make a $15 million charitable contribution toward 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, the network must pay $1 million to cover Trump’s legal fees.
As part of the deal, Stephanopoulos and ABC News issued statements of “regret” in an editor’s note appended to a March 10, 2024, article. The note states:
“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.”
ABC News attempted to spin the outcome, with a spokesperson telling Fox News Digital, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
The lawsuit stemmed from Stephanopoulos’ false statements during a heated interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., where he claimed that Trump had been found “liable for r*pe” in a civil case brought by E. Jean Carroll.
Stephanopoulos grilled Mace, saying, “Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for r*pe and for defaming the victim of that r*pe.” This assertion was repeated ten times during the interview, despite the jury’s actual finding that Trump was liable for “s*xual abuse,” a legally distinct term under New York law.
In a later ruling, Judge Lewis Kaplan acknowledged the jury’s decision, noting that while Carroll failed to prove r*pe under New York Penal Law, the word “r*pe” might still apply as commonly understood.
Nonetheless, Stephanopoulos’ repeated mischaracterization formed the basis of Trump’s defamation case.
Initially dismissive of the lawsuit, Stephanopoulos doubled down during an interview with Stephen Colbert, stating, “Trump sued me because I used the word ‘r*pe,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss.”
However, momentum shifted when U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid ordered both parties to sit for depositions, with a Dec. 24 deadline looming for a motion for summary judgment. Facing the prospect of a trial, ABC News ultimately agreed to settle.
Trump was represented by Florida attorneys Alejandro Brito and Richard Klugh. The settlement, filed in the Southern District of Florida Federal Court, is another victory in a growing list of legal wins for the president-elect and his legal team, led by senior adviser Boris Epshteyn.
These successes include Judge Tanya Chutkan dismissing Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case related to the 2020 election and Smith abandoning his appeal in the classified records case after a federal judge ruled his appointment unlawful.
In New York, Judge Juan Merchan granted Trump’s motion to dismiss charges from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case and removed sentencing from the schedule.
Trump isn’t stopping there. He’s pursuing a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News, alleging the network engaged in “deceptive conduct” to interfere with the election during an October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The settlement with ABC News underscores Trump’s ability to hold media outlets accountable, turning baseless attacks into decisive victories as he moves closer to his return to the Oval Office.
Stay tuned to Prudent Politics.
