In a bold move, former President Donald Trump has initiated legal proceedings against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos, citing defamation resulting from comments made during an interview on “This Week” with US Rep. Nancy Mace. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami, revolves around Stephanopoulos’ assertion that Trump had been found “liable for rape,” a statement Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito argues was both false and made with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the truth.
During the interview, Stephanopoulos referenced a civil case in Manhattan where a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse under New York law but explicitly did not find him liable for rape. Trump’s legal team contends that Stephanopoulos’ persistent assertion of Trump’s liability for rape, despite the jury’s verdict, constitutes defamation and has had a detrimental impact on Trump’s reputation.
In a comprehensive 20-page complaint, Trump’s legal representatives assert that Stephanopoulos was well aware of the jury’s findings but opted to misrepresent them during the interview, leading to the widespread dissemination of false information. The lawsuit accuses Stephanopoulos of actively spreading these falsehoods to third parties, exacerbating the harm inflicted upon Trump’s reputation.
The interview segment, which featured Stephanopoulos and Mace, garnered significant attention online, with Stephanopoulos probing Mace about her continued support for Trump despite the legal verdict. The lawsuit cites this exchange as evidence of how the false statements made during the interview were amplified and circulated to a broader audience, further tarnishing Trump’s reputation.
This legal action against ABC News and Stephanopoulos is part of a broader pattern of Trump’s efforts to challenge media coverage that he perceives as unfavorable through defamation lawsuits. Despite facing previous setbacks in similar suits against media outlets, Trump is now seeking unspecified damages in this latest lawsuit, underscoring the seriousness with which he regards the alleged defamation.
Ultimately, the lawsuit underscores Trump’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding his reputation against what he deems false and damaging statements in the media. It prompts important questions about the responsibility of journalists like Stephanopoulos to accurately portray legal proceedings and highlights the potential repercussions of misrepresenting court decisions in the public sphere.
