Trump Files Lawsuit Against George Stephanopoulos and ABC News Following Rape Liability Claims by Host

Trump ​Takes Legal Action ​Against ‌ABC ‌and Stephanopoulos Over Defamation Claims

In a dramatic legal move, former ⁢President Donald ⁣Trump has initiated a lawsuit against ‌ABC News and its anchor, George‌ Stephanopoulos, for statements made⁣ on‌ air that Trump alleges‌ were defamatory.

The lawsuit, submitted to a federal ‍court in Miami, ‌accuses Stephanopoulos⁢ of inflicting reputational damage after the ABC News host incorrectly stated that Trump was found liable ⁤for raping ‍writer E. Jean Carroll, a fact-check from The New York Times reports. It was,⁤ in reality, a case where the former president was found⁢ liable for sexual ⁣abuse, not ‌rape.

On-Air Controversy Sparks Legal Battle

During a tense ‌exchange with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), ‍Stephanopoulos suggested a contradiction in Mace’s ​continued support for ⁤Trump, referencing past⁣ legal findings. “

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?”

‍This statement has ​become the crux of Trump’s defamation claim.

In a detailed 20-page complaint, Trump’s legal counsel ​alleges that Stephanopoulos knowingly attacked Trump’s reputation with false ⁢claims, asserting ‍that Stephanopoulos was aware of the actual⁤ jury outcomes yet deliberately ‌misrepresented them ⁤on​ television.

The ‌lawsuit does not specify a dollar amount, but Trump is seeking damages for the alleged harm done ⁤to his reputation.

Rep. Mace Claps Back‍ During​ Interview

The⁢ interview soon became personal when​ Mace criticized Stephanopoulos for making insinuating remarks about her backing of Trump, taking into consideration her own experiences as a​ survivor of sexual assault. ⁤The‌ congresswoman labeled ​the probing questions⁢ as both⁢ “offensive” and “disgusting,” highlighting a sensitive intersection between personal trauma and political discourse.

The jury in the related ‍civil case found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll ⁤in addition ​to defaming her; this follows Carroll’s claim that Trump ⁤sexually assaulted her in a department store in the 1990s.

Meanwhile, Trump has ⁢made attempts to file a countersuit against Carroll for her continued⁢ public‌ accusations, but ‌these were rejected by U.S. ⁤District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who pointed out that both actions discussed in court were serious sex ⁤crimes.

In a subsequent ruling, ⁣a‌ jury awarded Carroll a significant ⁤financial settlement, including millions in both compensatory ⁣and punitive damages, as a result ​of Trump’s actions and comments.

Reacting to‌ the jury’s verdict, Trump expressed his strong disagreement and ‍intention to appeal, decrying the legal process as a ‍politically motivated attack on his and the Republican Party’s‍ freedoms.

Tim Pearce contributed to this report.

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