ABC, Trump settles defamation lawsuit

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FILE – Republican presidential nominee former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a roundtable discussion with black business owners before his rally at the Georgia State University Convocation Center on August 3, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo b

ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million to Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit.

Here’s what you need to know about the defamation lawsuit and the ABC News settlement:

ABC News Trump defamation lawsuit

The suit for defamation involving trump card and ABC News returns to a “This Week” segment with anchor George Stephanopoulos airing on March 10, 2024.

During the segment, according to a regulatory filing made public Saturday and obtained by The Associated Press, Stephanopoulos made an inaccurate claim on air that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for the rape of writer E. Jean Carroll.

Stephanopoulos claimed during an interview with rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C. on the day Trump was “found guilty of rape,” which misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two trials against him.

Trump sued Stephanopoulos and the network for defamation shortly after the segment aired.

Trump Trial E. Jean Carroll

In 2023, Trump was found guilty of sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll and was ordered to pay her $5 million. In January, he was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million. trump card appeals both verdicts.

Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.

The judge in both cases, Lewis Kaplan, said the jury’s conclusion was that Carroll had failed to prove that Trump had violated her “within the narrow, technical meaning of a certain section of the New York Penal Code.”

ABC News Defamation Agreement

As part of the defamation settlement, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million for Donald Trump’s presidential library.

ABC will also post a note on its website expressing regret at the complaint.

In a statement, ABC News said, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit under the terms of the court filing.”

Trump Presidential Library

The Trump Presidential Library is part of the Presidential Library System managed by the National Archives and Records Administration, a federal agency.

The Donald J. Trump Presidential Library and Museum has yet to be built and a website currently serves as a placeholder.

Thirteen former presidents have presidential libraries and museums, dating from Herbert Hoover through George W. Bush.

Source: Information in this article about the lawsuit and settlement was taken from a settlement document made public Saturday and obtained by The Associated Press. Information about the Trump Presidential Library was taken from the National Archives and Records Administration, a federal agency. Background information about the trial involving Trump and Carroll was taken from earlier reports by FOX and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.

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