ABC News host George Stephanopoulos ignored the information about his network’s massive settlement with President-elect Donald Trump on his Sunday present.
Fox News Digital first reported on Saturday that ABC News and Stephanopoulos agreed to a settlement to keep away from a expensive trial over Trump’s defamation lawsuit in opposition to the community and anchor.
News of the settlement, nevertheless, failed to look on ABC’s “This Week.” Instead, Stephanopoulos centered on tales about unidentified drones over New Jersey, ongoing conflicts in Syria and Trump’s cupboard picks.
He additionally deleted his X account over the weekend.
George Stephanopoulos averted referencing the information about ABC’s settlement with President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday. (ABC News screenshot)
Stephanopoulos was the focus of the lawsuit after he asserted that Trump was discovered “answerable for rape” in a civil case throughout a contentious interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., final March.
After taking part in a clip of Mace discussing being a sufferer of rape, Stephanopoulos requested her, “How do you sq. your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we simply noticed?”
“You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have discovered him answerable for rape and for defaming the sufferer of that rape,” Stephanopoulos mentioned, alluding to the authorized victory by Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll.
Stephanopoulos repeated that declare ten instances throughout his spat with Mace, although a jury truly decided Trump was answerable for “sexual abuse,” which has a definite definition beneath New York regulation.
The “This Week” host was initially defiant against the lawsuit when requested about it in May, including he wouldn’t be “cowed out of doing my job due to a risk.”
Stephanopoulos repeatedly claimed Trump was discovered answerable for rape throughout a broadcast in March. (Getty Images)
“Trump sued me as a result of I used the phrase ‘rape,’ though a decide mentioned that’s in reality what did occur. We filed a movement to dismiss,” Stephanopoulos instructed late-night host Stephen Colbert.
According to the settlement, ABC News can pay $15 million as a charitable contribution to a “Presidential basis and museum to be established by or for Plaintiff, as Presidents of the United States of America have established prior to now.” Additionally, the community can pay $1 million in Trump’s legal professional charges.
Stephanopoulos and ABC News additionally needed to challenge statements of “remorse” as an editor’s observe on the backside of a March 10, 2024, on-line article, about feedback made earlier this 12 months that prompted Trump to file the defamation lawsuit. The observe reads, “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos remorse statements relating to President Donald J. Trump made throughout an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”
ABC News mentioned the community was “happy” to have concluded the case.
ABC News and Stephanopoulos paid a $15 million settlement within the Trump defamation lawsuit. (Getty Images)
“We are happy that the events have reached an settlement to dismiss the lawsuit on the phrases within the courtroom submitting,” an ABC News spokesperson instructed Fox News Digital.
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Fox News’ Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
