94Ha Viewpoint
ABC has agreed to donate $15 million (approximately $20.24 million) to President Trump’s future presidential foundation or museum to resolve defamation accusations stemming from remarks made by one of its anchors.
During the broadcast of “This Week” on March 10th, ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos made inappropriate remarks, suggesting that a court had ruled that Trump “must be held accountable for equivalent rape charges.” Trump later called these comments “false, deliberate, malicious, and defamatory,” leading to a defamation lawsuit against ABC.
In reality, a New York court jury in May dismissed columnist Carroll’s rape accusation against Trump but found Trump liable for defamation for accusing Carroll of being a “fraud” and for committing sexual assault against her.
As per the settlement agreement, ABC has agreed to issue a statement of “regret” regarding the remarks on its official website. ABC will also pay Trump’s attorneys $1 million in legal fees. The statement from ABC also mentioned, “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the terms outlined in the court documents and to have the lawsuit withdrawn.”
This case is just one of many civil lawsuits involving Trump. In addition to ABC, Trump has also filed lawsuits against CBS and renowned journalist Bob Woodward, who exposed the Watergate scandal. The case regarding the alleged incitement of violence and storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, remains unresolved.
