ABC Settles Trump Defamation Lawsuit for $15 Million and Public Apology

The settlement resolves claims over George Stephanopoulos' inaccurate statements about the E. Jean Carroll case during a March 2024 broadcast.

ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to Donald Trump's presidential foundation and $1 million in legal fees as part of the settlement.
The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' repeated on-air claims that Trump was found liable for rape, which was inaccurate under New York law.
The settlement includes a public editor's note from ABC News expressing regret over the statements made during the broadcast.
A federal judge had previously ruled that the defamation case could proceed, rejecting ABC's arguments that the statements were substantially true.
The settlement avoids scheduled depositions for both Trump and Stephanopoulos, which were set to take place next week.