ABC pays $16 million toward Trump's library and legal fees to settle his defamation suit weeks before he takes office
ABC News settled Trump's defamation suit against the network and George Stephanopoulos, agreeing to pay $15 million to his future presidential library, $1 million in attorneys' fees, and to publish a statement of regret.
What happened
ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to a "presidential foundation and museum" and $1 million of Trump's attorneys' fees, and to publish a statement of regret, to settle his defamation suit over Stephanopoulos saying on air that a jury found Trump had "raped" E. Jean Carroll; the jury had found him liable for sexual abuse. The settlement was filed publicly on December 14, 2024, when Trump was president-elect. Trump's 2025 financial disclosure lists it as $16,000,000, net proceeds paid to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, so the money landed during his term. It is counted in the take.
Why it matters
A network paid $16 million toward the incoming president's library and lawyers to end a defamation suit, five weeks before he took office. It went into the foundation built for his benefit, and the money arrived while he held the office.