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ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos remained conspicuously silent about his network’s high-profile settlement with President-elect Donald Trump during his Sunday show, "This Week." The settlement, which was first reported by Fox News Digital on Saturday, marked the end of Trump’s defamation lawsuit against ABC News and Stephanopoulos.
Despite its significance, the story was noticeably absent from the show's lineup, which instead focused on unidentified drones over New Jersey, ongoing conflicts in Syria, and Trump’s Cabinet appointments.
Adding to the intrigue, Stephanopoulos also deleted his account on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend, raising questions about his response to the settlement.
The lawsuit stemmed from a contentious interview in March 2024 between Stephanopoulos and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.). During the interview, Stephanopoulos repeatedly claimed that Trump had been "found liable for rape" in a civil case, referencing a legal victory by Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll.
The host played a clip of Mace discussing her own experience as a survivor of rape and then asked, "How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?"
Stephanopoulos did not stop there. He further stated, "You've endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that r-pe."
He repeated the claim ten times during his exchange with Mace, despite the fact that the jury had only found Trump liable for "s-xual abuse" under New York law — a charge with a distinctly different legal definition from "r-pe."
Initially, Stephanopoulos was defiant when asked about Trump’s lawsuit back in May. “Trump sued me because I used the word ‘r-pe,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss," he told late-night host Stephen Colbert. At the time, he appeared confident that the lawsuit would be thrown out, but that strategy ultimately failed.
The settlement terms were significant. ABC News agreed to pay $15 million as a charitable contribution to a "Presidential foundation and museum" to be established by Trump, following a precedent set by other former U.S. presidents. In addition, ABC agreed to cover $1 million in Trump’s attorney fees.
As part of the settlement, ABC News and Stephanopoulos were also required to issue a statement of "regret." The statement, which was added as an editor’s note at the bottom of a March 10, 2024, online article, reads:
"ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024."
The statement is seen as a rare public concession from both the anchor and the network, signaling the seriousness of the legal challenge posed by Trump. An ABC News spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing.”
The settlement comes as a major blow to both Stephanopoulos and ABC News, as it raises questions about media accountability in high-stakes defamation cases.
Trump’s victory in this case also serves as a warning to other media outlets that have criticized him in the past. The outcome reflects Trump’s growing ability to fight back against perceived media bias, particularly as he prepares to return to the White House.
With Stephanopoulos choosing to stay silent on the matter during his flagship Sunday program, it remains to be seen how this will impact his role at ABC News moving forward. His decision to delete his X account further adds to the mystery, leaving many to wonder if it signals a broader shift in his media presence.
Meanwhile, Trump’s supporters have framed the settlement as a symbolic victory, one that highlights the power imbalance between media giants and public figures willing to fight back.
