The Walt Disney Company’s broadcast news division has settled a defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump over errant comments made by an ABC News anchor earlier this year.
The lawsuit, filed in March, accused “This Week” anchor George Stephanopolous of defaming Trump by claiming that he had been found civilly liable for raping E. Jean Carroll, which misstated the lawsuits that were filed against him.
Trump was found guilty last year of sexual assault and defamation in the Carroll case. Legally, sexual assault and rape are separate legal offenses, which carry different penalties at the civil and criminal level. Trump has not been criminally charged with rape.
The judge in the Carroll case said she failed to prove that Trump raped her, but affirmed the jury’s conclusion that he still defamed her and was liable for sexual assault. Trump was ordered to pay nearly $90 million in both cases.
On March 10, Stephanopolous repeatedly questioned a guest while referring to the Carroll case as one that involved a finding that Trump was liable for rape. Trump sued for defamation a short time later; in July, a judge overseeing the case refused a request by Disney to have the lawsuit thrown out.
The settlement will see ABC News post a statement on its website expressing regret for Stephanopolous’ comments, and the network has committed to donating $15 million to the future build-out of Trump’s presidential library. The settlement was first reported by Fox News Digital on Saturday.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” an ABC News spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.
Trump won a second, non-consecutive term as president in November.
