US President-elect Donald Trump has reached a $15 million settlement in a defamation case against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos, international media reported.
The case, centered on allegations of rape, concluded just days before both parties were set to testify.
The legal battle stemmed from Stephanopoulos’ claim that Trump had raped a woman, while a civil jury had found that Trump had sexually abused, but not raped, the same individual, with this distinction being a critical element in the case.
Defamation lawsuits are challenging for public figures to win in the US due to strict legal standards, requiring plaintiffs to prove both that a statement was false and made with malicious intent.
Trump, who has previously lost similar cases against major media outlets like CNN and The New York Times, secured a notable victory with this settlement.
An ABC spokesperson confirmed the agreement, saying, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.” ABC and Stephanopoulos will also issue a public statement of regret on their website.
Stephanopoulos, co-anchor of “Good Morning America” and a former Democratic strategist, remains a prominent figure in US journalism. His former role as communications director for President Bill Clinton has led to accusations of bias from Trump, particularly during the network’s hosting of Trump’s debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite this legal win, Trump remains under scrutiny. In 2023, a civil jury found him guilty of sexually abusing journalist E. Jean Carroll, awarding her $5 million. In January 2024, a separate verdict ordered him to pay $83.3 million in damages for defaming Carroll.