ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos is reportedly “apoplectic” and “humiliated” following his network’s decision to pay $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by then-President-elect Donald Trump. The lawsuit stemmed from an interview Stephanopoulos conducted with Republican Representative Nancy Mace in March 2024, during which he stated that Trump had been “found liable for rape by a jury.” This comment, made during a segment of This Week, led to a significant legal backlash from Trump, who argued that the remarks were defamatory and damaging to his reputation. It stemmed from the Manhattan jury’s civil case against Trump, where E. Jean Carroll accused him of sexual assault. While the jury found Trump liable for sexual battery and defamation, it did not convict him of rape.
Sources close to Stephanopoulos have revealed that the veteran anchor is deeply frustrated by the outcome of the case and the subsequent apology he was forced to issue. The ABC News anchor, who has long been a key figure in the network’s coverage of political events, is reportedly upset that he had to make a public apology to Trump, especially given that he has been one of the most prominent figures challenging Trump’s actions on air.
“George is defiant,” one source noted, adding that Stephanopoulos has always maintained a tight-knit circle of confidants and has been particularly private in recent months. He has even deactivated his Twitter account, where he had more than 2.3 million followers. The settlement, which included a $15 million donation to a presidential foundation and $1 million in attorney fees for Trump, was announced on a Saturday, shortly before depositions were scheduled to take place between Stephanopoulos and Trump.
The legal action accused both Stephanopoulos and ABC News of spreading false information and defaming Trump in the process. Following the legal proceedings, the network and Stephanopoulos issued a joint statement expressing regret for the statements made during the interview, acknowledging that the wording was wrong.
The aftermath of the settlement has reportedly caused frustration within ABC News. According to insiders, morale at the network has been low due to a series of layoffs across different departments, and the defamation settlement added to the growing sense of unease. One source described the situation as a “gut punch,” and staff members are said to be furious that the network did not make a bigger effort to cover the settlement internally. Despite being a major news story, ABC News reportedly kept a tight lid on the coverage of the settlement, which irked many within the organization.
The decision to settle, sources say, was driven less by news considerations and more by corporate strategy. ABC News’ parent company, Disney, reportedly wanted to avoid a prolonged legal battle, especially as Trump was preparing to take office. It’s believed that Disney CEO Bob Iger and other executives were concerned that a protracted legal fight could have negative consequences for other parts of the company, particularly those under government regulation.
Industry insiders speculated that Disney, which owns ABC News, sought to settle the lawsuit quickly to reset its relationship with Trump ahead of his expected presidential inauguration. A visit by Debra O’Connell, the president of ABC News, to Mar-a-Lago further fueled these speculations. According to Puck News, O’Connell’s trip was part of efforts to smooth over the relationship with Trump and prepare for the potential impact of his presidency on Disney’s various business ventures.
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The little man is such a little man!
Georgy Stepinawfulstuff is not a ‘veteran anchor’, he’s a political hack, on a political hack of a network. I hope he’s humiliated and I hope it hurts him so horribly that it destroys him, and Disney/ABC for having the maliciousness to hire a leftist political hack in the first place. I also hope he’s so ‘apoplectic’ that he bursts a cranial blood vessel, as such a lying skunk well deserves.
WELL DONE Seijah Drake! THANK YOU! VERY PROFESSIONAL JOB