Trump libel suit against ABC, Stephanopoulos officially dismissed after $15 million settlement

President-elect Donald Trump’s libel suit against ABC was formally dismissed after he reached a $15 million settlement with the network and its top anchor, George Stephanopoulos.

The lawsuit was dismissed in a ruling filed Monday, signed by U.S. District Judge Cecelia Altonaga, according to a document obtained by Fox News Digital.

“After being informed of the parties’ settlement and otherwise fully informed on the spot, it is hereby ordered and assessed that the provision has been approved,” the case states. “The above action is hereby dismissed with the proviso that each party bear their own attorneys’ fees and costs.”

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The dismissal comes after both parties agreed to avoid a costly lawsuit.

According to the settlement, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million as a charitable contribution to a “presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for plaintiff established by past presidents of the United States.” In addition, the network will pay $1 million for Trump’s legal fees.

Stephanopoulos and ABC News also had to issue statements of “regret” as an editorial note at the bottom of a March 10, 2024, online article about comments earlier this year that prompted Trump to file a libel suit.

The memo reads: “ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024.”

Trump filed a defamation suit against Stephanopoulos after he claimed Trump was found “liable for rape” in a civil suit during a contentious interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., in March.

After playing a clip of Mace discussing being a rape victim, Stephanopoulos asked her, “How do you compare your support for Donald Trump to the testimony we just saw?”

President-elect Donald Trump sued ABC News and George Stephanopoulos after the anchor repeatedly insisted he was found “responsible for rape,” despite a jury actually finding Trump responsible for “sexual abuse,” which has a separate definition under New York law. (Getty Images)

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“You have endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him responsible for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape,” Stephanopoulos said, alluding to the legal victory by Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll.

Stephanopoulos repeated this claim ten times during his spat with Mace, despite a jury actually finding Trump liable for “sexual misconduct,” which has a separate definition under New York law.

After the federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse but not rape, Judge Lewis Kaplan wrote in a later ruling that just because Carroll could not prove rape “within the meaning of the New York Penal Code does not mean that she failed to prove that Mr. Trump ‘raped’ her, as many people commonly understand the word ‘rape’.”

The settlement came after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for depositions ahead of the Dec. 24 deadline for the defendants to file a motion for summary judgment to avoid a trial.

President-elect Donald Trump points at AmericaFest on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Trump was represented by Florida attorneys Alejandro Brito and Richard Klugh. The settlement with ABC was filed in the Southern District of Florida Federal Court, where both parties signed and accepted the terms.

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An ABC News spokesperson told Fox News Digital at the time that the network was “pleased” to settle the case.

Fox News’ Gabriel Hayes and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.