On Monday, ex-President Donald Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and host George Stephanopoulos.
The lawsuit comes after Stephanopoulos falsely claimed during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace that Trump had been found “liable for rape” by two juries. In reality, Trump was found liable for defamation and battery against author E. Jean Carroll.
Trump alleges that Stephanopoulos deliberately made these false claims multiple times in an attempt to defame him, as stated in the complaint filed in a federal court in Miami.
“These statements were and remain false, and were made by Defendant Stephanopoulos with actual malice or with a reckless disregard for the truth given that Defendant Stephanopoulos knows that these statements are patently and demonstrably false,” Trump’s attorney wrote in the complaint. “Indeed, 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.”
Trump is seeking punitive financial damages without specifying a specific amount in the filing. Additionally, he has requested a jury trial.
NEW: Donald Trump is suing ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation over the Nancy Mace interview, in which, on more than ten occasions, Stephanopoulos falsely accused Trump of committing rape. pic.twitter.com/X6D4PYQxNK
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) March 19, 2024
“Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape. How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?” Stephanopoulos asked during the March interview.
In January, Carroll was awarded a $83.3 million judgment in her defamation lawsuit against Trump, who was found to have made malicious statements about her, including calling her a “whack job” during a CNN town hall in May.
