ABC News to pay $15M in Trump defamation suit
The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll


What happened
ABC News said Saturday it will donate $15 million to President-elect Donald Trump's future "presidential foundation and museum" to resolve a defamation lawsuit Trump filed in March against the network and its anchor George Stephanopoulos. ABC also agreed to pay $1 million in Trump's attorney fees.
Who said what
Trump sued after Stephanopoulos said on "This Week" that the former president had been found "liable for rape," misstating a jury's finding that he sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw Carroll's civil lawsuits against Trump, said the jury did find that "Trump 'raped' her as many people commonly understand the word 'rape,'" but not under New York's "far narrower" legal definition. Trump is appealing the verdict.
ABC News posted a note on its website expressing "regret" for "statements regarding" Trump on the March 10 broadcast.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
It is "notoriously difficult for public figures" like Trump to "win defamation lawsuits," The New York Times said, and ABC's deal was criticized by "those who perceived the network as needlessly bowing down" to Trump, emboldening him to "intensify" his use of defamation threats and other intimidation tactics to "crack down on unfavorable media coverage."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Celebrations to mark 80 years since VE Day
The Week Recommends Events will be taking place up and down the country, from parades to street parties
-
Kim Kardashian and the trial of the 'Grandpa Robbers'
The Explainer The reality TV star will appear in court in Paris this month, almost nine years after being held at gunpoint in her hotel room
-
The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok: a serene oasis in the heart of the Thai capital
The Week Recommends The skyscraper hotel offers guests tranquillity amid the bustle of the city
-
$300M lawsuit against Greenpeace has environmentalists on edge
In the spotlight The organization says the future of advocacy and free speech is at risk
-
ICC under attack: can court continue to function?
Today's Big Question US sanctions 'designed not only to intimidate court officials and staff' but 'also to chill broader cooperation', say rights group
-
Birthright citizenship under threat in US
The Explainer Donald Trump wants to scrap the policy he calls a 'magnet for illegal immigration'
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments law
Speed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
-
Why has the Taliban banned pictures of living things?
Under The Radar 'Virtue' ministry says banned images are contrary to sharia law
-
Judge reopens Trump challenge in secrets case
Speed Read Aileen Cannon continues to delay and complicate the classified documents case
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'
Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent