ABC News has signed a new deal with longtime anchor George Stephanopoulos that will cost the network millions Her lawsuit was settled With President-elect Donald Trump, according to reports.
Stephanpoulos, who reportedly earned up to $18 million annually in his previous contract, was at the center of a defamation lawsuit settled with Trump last week, but reports say the timing between the settlement and his new contract was coincidental.
ABC News did not immediately respond Fox News DigitalRequest for comment.
DISNEY AND ABC NEWS CONTINUE TO HIT TRUMP'S HUGE SETTLEMENT: 'LOW, LOW POINT'
ABC News has signed a new deal with liberal anchor George Stephanopoulos in the wake of the network's $15 million defamation settlement with President-elect Donald Trump. (Getty Images)
Stephanopoulos' contract extension came in the wake of reports of alleged drama behind the scenes at the Disney-owned network. A variety have been reported Stephanopoulos said he was “shocked” by his bosses' decision to settle the defamation lawsuit and was “unhappy” with the outcome.
Network insiders have raised uncertainty about whether the settlement will impact Stephanopoulos' future at ABC, Variety reports. However, hours after that story was published, the Los Angeles Times broke the news that the anchor's tenure at ABC had been extended.
The lawsuit stems from a March interview with Rep. Nancy Mace on his Sunday show “This Week,” in which he participated. He claimed ten separate times Trump was found “liable for rape,” when the jury in the E. Jean Carroll civil case decided he was liable for “sexual assault,” which has a distinct definition under New York law.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, December 16, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida. (AFP/Evan Vucci)
First, he co-hosted “Good Morning America.” He was defiant In the face of Trump's lawsuit, he told CBS' Stephen Colbert that he would not be “prevented from doing my job because of the threat.”
“Trump sued me because I used the word 'rape,' even though the judge said that's what actually happened. We filed a motion to dismiss,” Stephanopoulos told Colbert.
Ultimately, a judge denied ABC News' request to dismiss Trump's lawsuit and settled with the president-elect in December before entering into a costly trial.
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos falsely said former President Trump was found “liable for rape” multiple times during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-C. (Screenshot/ABC News)
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According to the settlement, ABC News will pay $15 million in charitable contributions to “a Presidential Foundation and Museum to be established by or for Plaintiff, as established by Presidents of the United States of America in the past.” In addition, the network will pay $1 million in Trump's attorney fees.
Stephanopoulos and ABC News also had to issue statements of “remorse” as an editor's note at the bottom of an article on the ABC News website. “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret the statements regarding President Donald J. Trump during an interview George Stephanopoulos conducted with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC's This Week on March 10, 2024,” the memo says.
Liberal pundits from rival networks, including CNN, NBC and MSNBC, accused ABC News of “kneeling” to Trump.
