Breaking News: ABC News Settles Defamation Lawsuit with Donald Trump for $15 Million

In a shocking turn of events, ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald J. Trump. This unexpected outcome marks a rare victory for Trump in his ongoing battles with national news organizations.

According to the terms of the settlement, which was revealed on Saturday, ABC News will donate $15 million to Trump’s future presidential foundation and museum. The network, owned by The Walt Disney Company, will also pay an additional $1 million to cover Trump’s legal fees.

In addition to the financial settlement, ABC News and its star anchor, George Stephanopoulos, have issued a statement expressing regret for remarks made about Trump during a televised interview in March. This move is seen as a significant concession by a major news organization and a departure from the usual stance taken by media outlets in similar cases.

Media law experts are weighing in on the decision, with some expressing surprise that ABC News chose to settle the lawsuit rather than continue fighting. To prove defamation, a public figure like Trump must demonstrate that the news outlet published false information knowingly or with substantial doubts about its accuracy. Given the high threshold required by the courts, many experts believed that ABC News had a strong case and could have continued to defend itself.

“Major news organizations have often been very leery of settlements in defamation suits brought by public officials and public figures, both because they fear the dangerous pattern of doing so and because they have the full weight of the First Amendment on their side,” said RonNell Andersen Jones, a professor of law at the University of Utah.

This settlement is a rare win for Trump, who has frequently sued news organizations for defamation and often lost, including in litigation against CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. The outcome is likely to have significant implications for the media landscape and may embolden Trump to continue his aggressive approach to dealing with news organizations.

Key Takeaways:

• ABC News will pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Donald Trump.
• The network will donate the $15 million to Trump’s future presidential foundation and museum.
• ABC News will pay an additional $1 million to cover Trump’s legal fees.
• The network and its star anchor, George Stephanopoulos, have issued a statement expressing regret for remarks made about Trump during a televised interview.
• Media law experts are surprised by the decision to settle, given the high threshold required by the courts to prove defamation.

Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.