President-elect Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on December 12. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger approved a settlement that included a $15 million payment toward Trump’s future presidential library to resolve claims tied to ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos. The agreement also included $1 million in attorney fees for Trump.
This decision has reportedly caused frustration among ABC News journalists and producers. Sources told the Journal that Disney leadership chose to settle to avoid a difficult legal battle in Florida.
The settlement was reportedly driven by concerns that the case could “ultimately prove costly not only to the company, but to press freedom writ large.” Lawyers within Disney were particularly wary of the current Supreme Court’s composition, fearing it might overturn New York Times v. Sullivan, a landmark ruling that provides media companies with protections in defamation cases involving public officials.
Disney General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez approved the settlement, according to the report.
The lawsuit, filed by Trump in March, stemmed from comments Stephanopoulos made during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina. Stephanopoulos repeatedly stated that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping journalist and author E. Jean Carroll. However, a federal jury determined Trump was liable for sexual abuse, not rape.
Stephanopoulos later defended his remarks during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, stating, “I’m not going to be cowed out of doing my job because of the threat,” referring to the lawsuit.
Following the settlement, Trump announced plans to file additional lawsuits against other media outlets. One such complaint targets the Des Moines Register over a poll conducted by J. Ann Selzer, which incorrectly predicted Trump would lose Iowa to Vice President Kamala Harris by three percentage points. Trump ultimately won the state decisively, calling the poll “fraud” and “election interference.”
Trump also plans to sue 60 Minutes, alleging the program edited an interview with Harris to make her appear more favorable. Additionally, he intends to file a lawsuit against Pulitzer, claiming reporters at The New York Times and The Washington Post received prizes for what he described as “wonderful, accurate, and highly professional reporting on the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax.”
