George Stephanopoulos’ Political Drama Followed Him into the New Year
George Stephanopoulos, co-host of ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” is facing a new rival in the form of his colleague Jonathan Karl, who allegedly wants to take over the Sunday morning news show. According to sources, Karl is eager to move into Stephanopoulos’ spot and has seen the recent settlement between ABC and President-elect Donald Trump as an opportunity to do so.
Stephanopoulos has been hosting “This Week” since 2002, but shares hosting duties with Karl and Martha Raddatz. However, insiders claim that Karl wants to be the sole host of the show, and has been waiting for Stephanopoulos to step aside. A source quipped, “Martha? Jon wants the show for himself! The bench has been ready to go for years.”
Despite the rumors, a spokesperson for ABC denied that Karl has designs on Stephanopoulos’ gig, stating that the two have a “friendly and mutually respectful relationship.” Stephanopoulos has been a mainstay at ABC, co-anchoring “Good Morning America” since 2009 and hosting “This Week” once a month.
However, Stephanopoulos’ political background has made him a target for criticism, particularly after ABC settled Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the network for $16 million. The settlement has caused tension among ABC journalists, with some insiders claiming that Stephanopoulos’ coverage of Trump’s administration has been affected.
Stephanopoulos has been a vocal critic of Trump, and his comments on the civil lawsuit won by journalist E. Jean Carroll led to Trump’s defamation suit. Some insiders are skeptical about Stephanopoulos’ ability to cover Trump’s administration fairly, given the recent settlement.
The drama surrounding Stephanopoulos has led to a shrinking inner circle at the network, with many of his allies no longer working at ABC. Meanwhile, Karl and Stephanopoulos have a “mutual respect for each other,” but it’s become “team Karl versus Stephanopoulos” around ABC.