Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — ABC News, an Australian media company, has agreed to pay $15 million (approximately IDR 240 billion) to Donald Trump presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit. The case stemmed from remarks made by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos during a March broadcast of This Week, where he falsely stated that Trump was found responsible for the rape of author E. Jean Carroll.
Settlement Details
As part of the settlement, ABC News issued an editor’s note expressing regret for Stephanopoulos’ comments. The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to Alejandro Brito, Trump’s attorney, alongside the $15 million settlement. The funds will be allocated as a “charitable donation” to a nonprofit organization associated with Trump’s yet-to-be-built presidential library.
“We are pleased that both parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit under terms filed in court,” said Jeannie Kedas, an ABC News spokesperson, in a statement on Sunday.
Under the agreement, ABC News must deposit the $15 million into an escrow account managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days. Legal fees must also be paid within the same period.
Origins of the Lawsuit
Trump filed the defamation lawsuit against ABC News and Stephanopoulos shortly after the controversial This Week segment aired. In the broadcast, Stephanopoulos repeatedly mischaracterized legal judgments from two civil lawsuits brought against Trump by E. Jean Carroll.
During an interview with Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Stephanopoulos incorrectly stated that Trump was found liable for rape and defamation. However, no court ruling concluded that Trump committed rape as defined under New York law.
In the first lawsuit, decided last year, Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation, with the jury awarding Carroll $5 million in damages. In a subsequent trial in January 2024, Trump was found liable for additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million.
The E. Jean Carroll Allegations
E. Jean Carroll, a former columnist, alleged in her 2019 memoir that Trump raped her in the mid-1990s at Manhattan’s Bergdorf Goodman department store. Trump has consistently denied the accusations, claiming he does not know Carroll and has never met her.
Carroll’s lawsuits sought damages for both the alleged assault and Trump’s public denials, which she said further defamed her character.
During her testimony in April 2023, Carroll told the jury, “When I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen. He lied and destroyed my reputation. I’m here to try to get my life back.”
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Implications of the Settlement
The settlement highlights the risks of misinformation in high-profile media coverage and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences for inaccuracies, particularly in politically charged cases. While the agreement includes no admission of liability from ABC News, the $15 million payment underscores the seriousness of the allegations and their implications for journalistic integrity.
(Becky)
