ABC News will pay $16M to settle Trump defamation suit

ABC News has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a defamation suit Donald Trump brought against the network.

The suit stems from the March 10, 2024 edition of “This Week” when anchor George Stephanopoulos stated repeatedly that Trump had been found liable for the “rape” of writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump had been found liable of “sexual abuse,” which does not have the same definition as “rape” under New York state law. The abuse rose to the level of battery against Carroll under New York law.

Carroll was awarded over $88 million in damages in the original case, though it is not clear if or when those funds might be paid.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing against Carroll. 

The settlement calls for ABC to pay the $15 million toward Trump’s presidential museum and foundation, which allows the network to categorize the expense as a charitable contribution. ABC has also appended an apology to its prior reporting to clarify the legal distinctions in the case.

The settlement money is meant to ultimately go toward building Trump’s presidential library and museum at some point in the future. Presidential libraries are funded using a mix of public money and private donations. 

The network is also covering $1 million in Trump’s legal fees. 

Both Trump and Stephanopoulos were slated to sit for depositions in the case in early December 2024, so a settlement avoids this. 

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Reaction within ABC and other newsrooms was largely negative, with multiple outlets reporting many ABC News insiders were dismayed at the network’s decision to settle. The fact that the settlement money will go toward Trump’s foundation did not seem to carry much weight in terms of lessening that blow.

Later New York Post reporting indicated that Stephanopoulos has also expressed his frustration with the network’s decision to settle.

There is also substantial fear that ABC’s settlement will embolden Trump to sue more media outlets he sees as having defamed him in addition to bolstering is normal attacks against the media. 

In the days that followed the announcement of the settlement, Trump named an Iowa newspaper in a defamation suit against a pollster and said he would continue to file additional suits against media outlets he feels defamed him.

It appears, however, that ABC News execs may have been eager to put the matter behind them as Trump prepares to take office. Despite the not-insignificant $15 million price tag, that dollar amount is still comparatively low to what ABC spends on other things. For example, that amount would represent the production costs of several episodes of a typical show the network airs or the salary of a highly-paid anchor or other personality. 

The major difference, however, is that ABC won’t be able to make back any advertising dollars from the money it pays out to Trump’s foundation, though it may ultimately be listed on official donor lists. 

ABC News is also making the payout during questionable economic times for news outlets when many major media companies have undergone layoffs or restructuring or could be facing significant cuts going into 2025. ABC’s parent, Disney, underwent layoffs in 2024.

A settlement also means that Trump will avoid having to testify under oath about the case even as he prepares to return to the White House in 2025. Depositions prior to trial are typically done under oath and lying during them can carry similar penalties for lying in court.

Editor’s note: Donald Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and battery in the E. Jean Carroll case. The use of the word “rape” in this article is only included as a way to report on the distinction between what was said on “This Week” and the actual finding.