ABC News host George Stephanopoulos ignored the network’s massive settlement with President-elect Donald Trump on his Sunday show, “This Week”, despite Fox News Digital first reporting on the settlement over the weekend. The agreement was reached to avoid a costly trial over Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the network and anchor.
The settlement requires ABC News to make a $15 million charitable contribution to a “Presidential foundation and museum”, as well as pay $1 million in Trump’s attorney fees. Stephanopoulos and ABC News also agreed to issue statements of regret regarding comments made during a March 2024 interview with Rep. Nancy Mace.
Stephanopoulos had initially claimed that a jury had found Trump “liable for rape”, repeating the claim ten times during the interview. However, a jury had actually ruled that Trump was liable for “sexual abuse”, with a distinct definition under New York law.
Despite ABC News’ settlement with Trump, Stephanopoulos did not reference the news on Sunday’s show, instead covering stories about unidentified drones in New Jersey, ongoing conflicts in Syria, and Trump’s cabinet picks. He had also deleted his Twitter account over the weekend. The settlement has sparked criticism among some liberals, who feel that Stephanopoulos has finally acknowledged the error of his ways.