ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, who played a pivotal role in the defamation settlement between the media giant and President-elect Donald Trump, is reportedly incensed over the $15 million payout ABC conceded to after he erroneously stated on air that Trump was accountable for rape in the E.
Jean Carroll case.
According to The Post Millennial, the settlement agreement, which was mutually agreed upon by Stephanopoulos, Trump, and ABC's top brass, stipulated that ABC News would contribute $15 million towards Trump's presidential museum, cover $1 million for Trump's legal fees, and issue a public apology. The apology statement read, "ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABCs This Week on March 10, 2024."
Sources close to the situation have revealed that Stephanopoulos is "apoplectic" and "humiliated" by the network's decision to proceed with the settlement. The anchor is particularly irate about being compelled to apologize. Insiders have described Stephanopoulos as "defiant" in the face of the settlement. One source noted, "[Stephanopoulos] is a very guarded person. His circle of trust is so small, and a lot of them dont work [at ABC anymore]."
Despite his reported indignation over ABC's settlement decision, Stephanopoulos, a former aide to ex-President Bill Clinton, has renewed his contract with the Disney-owned network. Amid the controversy surrounding the settlement, Stephanopoulos deactivated his X account.
The ABC News settlement has not only rankled Stephanopoulos but has also caused discontent among other staff members at the news outlet. An employee expressed frustration to the Post, stating, "It's front-page news everywhere, yet ABC doesn't report on itself."
The morale at ABC has reportedly plummeted following a series of layoffs across various departments. One source described the settlement as a "sheer level embarrassment" for the outlet, adding that "people are furious" about it.
One source speculated to the Post that the decision to settle was a corporate one, not a news division decision. They likely didnt want to go through discovery, when you search all the documents and all the emails and find everything thats said, and turn it over to the other side," the source said. This speculation suggests that the network may have been trying to avoid further scrutiny and potential embarrassment that could arise from a thorough examination of internal communications.
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