ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos is said to be ‘apoplectic’ and ‘humiliated’ following the network’s decision to pay $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit between ABC and Donald Trump.
The settlement, which includes $15 million towards a presidential foundation and $1 million for Trump’s legal fees, has sparked a firestorm within the Disney-owned news organization.
Stephanopoulos, a former aide to Bill Clinton in the 1990s, was particularly incensed at being compelled to issue a public apology, according to the New York Post.
Insiders explained how the veteran anchor remains ‘defiant’ amid the fallout.
‘George is a very guarded person. His circle of trust is so small, and a lot of them don’t work [at ABC anymore]. He felt cornered and blindsided,’ one insider said.
The anchor’s frustration with the network couples both the personal and professional strain the episode has taken on him – and it appears to have boiled over as he has since deactivated his X account, cutting ties with his more than 2.3 million followers.
The decision to settle has also left many ABC News staffers seething.
‘It’s front-page news everywhere, yet ABC doesn’t report on itself,’ one employee said.
A lack of internal communication from company bosses has only served to fuel resentment following recent layoffs across multiple departments at the network.
‘It’s another gut punch. The sheer level of embarrassment—people are furious,’ a staffer lamented.
The lawsuit stemmed from a March interview during which Stephanopoulos erroneously claimed Trump had been found liable for the rape in a civil case of writer E. Jean Carroll.
In that case, a jury actually found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, awarding her $5 million in damages.
However, the jury did not conclude that Trump had committed rape as defined under New York law.
Stephanopoulos’ phrasing – referring to Trump as being ‘found liable for rape’ -became the crux of the defamation suit.
Trump argued the statements were made with ‘malice’ and disregard for the legal distinction that the jury’s verdict did not meet the state’s specific definition of rape.
During the interview, Stephanopoulos pressed Mace, saying: ‘Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape.’
In reality, a Manhattan jury had ruled Trump liable for sexual battery and defamation – but not rape.
In response, Trump filed a lawsuit, asserting that such statements misrepresented the jury’s findings and caused him reputational harm.
At the time, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over the trial, noted that the legal definition of rape in New York law is narrower than its common understanding.
Stephanopoulos had previously defended himself against Trump’s defamation claims, saying in May that he wouldn’t be ‘cowed out of doing’ his job ‘because of a threat.’
But his bosses at ABC News and Disney clearly felt differently.
With depositions for both Trump and Stephanopoulos imminent, the network’s legal team pushed for a swift resolution to settle and make an apology.
‘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 read.
The prospect of corporate emails and internal discussions being exposed during discovery before any court hearings was also said to be a significant factor in the settlement.
Industry insiders believe Disney CEO Bob Iger orchestrated the settlement to avoid prolonged legal exposure, particularly with Trump’s return to the White House only a month away.
‘This wasn’t a news division decision; it was a company decision,’ a source told The Post.
‘They likely didn’t want to go through discovery and risk sensitive documents becoming public,’ explained one legal analyst familiar with corporate litigation tactics.
Adding to the intrigue, Disney executive Debra O’Connell, who oversees ABC News, recently visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and dined with Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, according to the New York Times, signaling a potential thaw and possible resetting of relations.
The meeting fueled speculation about Disney’s broader strategic recalibrations amid the incoming administration’s regulatory power.
Disney’s leadership is keenly aware of the company’s past bruising public battles, notably its clash with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over LGBTQ+ legislation.
Media observers suggest Iger wanted to neutralize any potential hostility from Trump’s administration before it could escalate into a broader corporate liability.
While ABC News has officially declined to comment, the network’s joint statement with Stephanopoulos expressed ‘regret’ over the inaccurate statements made during the March interview.
The anchor himself has remained silent, rebuffing multiple requests for comment.
Trump is also suing CBS News for $10 billion in damages alleging the network practiced ‘deceptive conduct’ when they interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris in October.
Lawyers for the president claimed numerous violations by the broadcaster including lying in a thoughtful and malevolent way, according to a lawsuit.
They wrote the complaint is because of ‘CBS’ partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference through malicious, deceptive, and substantial news distortion calculated to confuse, deceive, and mislead the public.’
Trump and his team also allege that CBS News was trying to run cover for Democrats by making Kamala Harris’ performance look better than it was.