ABC News agrees to contribute $15 million to Trump presidential foundation to settle defamation lawsuit

ABC News agrees to contribute  million to Trump presidential foundation to settle defamation lawsuit

ABC News has agreed to contribute $15 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s presidential foundation and museum to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Trump, according to documents filed Saturday in U.S. District Court.

Trump had accused ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos of acting “with real malice or with reckless disregard for the truth,” after Stephanopoulos said Trump had been “found responsible for rape” during a March 10 interview with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.

Trump claimed in his filing that Stephanopoulos “knows that these statements are blatantly and demonstrably false.”

As part of the settlement, ABC News must also post an “editor’s note” at the bottom of the March 10 online article accompanying the interview that states: “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements made about the President Donald J. Trump during an interview. by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”

The Trump presidential foundation and museum have not yet been established.

This is breaking news. Check back for updates.

and Caitlin Yilek contributed to this report.