Trump Files Defamation Lawsuit Against ABC News, George Stephanopoulos

2024 presumptive Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News (Lean Left bias) over statements made by ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Details: The lawsuit stated that during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Stephanopoulos “falsely stated on several occasions that Plaintiff had been found liable by multiple juries for the rape of Ms. E. Jean Carroll,” alleging that Stephanopoulos made the statements “with actual malice or with a reckless disregard for the truth.” Trump attorney Alejandro Brito stated that “the jury expressly found that Plaintiff did not commit rape and, as demonstrated below, Defendant George Stephanopoulos was aware of the jury’s finding in this regard yet still falsely stated otherwise.”

For Context: During the interview, Stephanopoulos asked Mace, who has spoken about being raped as a teenager, how she could “endorse someone who has been found liable for rape.” In May 2023, a jury in New York found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation toward advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, awarding her $5 million. The jury determined Trump did not rape Carroll, but did sexually abuse her, another form of sexual battery.

How the Media Covered It: The New York Times (Lean Left bias) stated that Trump “often galvanizes his supporters by attacking the press” and has “filed a string of unsuccessful defamation suits against major media organizations.” The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) called Stephanopoulos’ statement an “errant assertion.”