Former President Donald Trump has taken legal action against ABC News and host George Stephanopoulos over questioning directed at South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace during a March 10 interview on “This Week.”
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, specifically targets Stephanopoulos’ repeated assertions that Trump has been found liable for “rape,” despite the fact that the juries in the E. Jean Carroll cases found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation, but not rape.
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During the interview, Stephanopoulos pressed Mace, a rape survivor herself, on her endorsement of Trump in light of the jury findings.
BREAKING: Donald Trump sues ABC News and host George Stephanopoulos for defaming him during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace.
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The lawsuit stems from Stephanopoulos’ questioning of Mace about being a r*pe survivor.
The show host apparently lied about Trump during his… pic.twitter.com/0ojdHHFS7R
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 19, 2024
“You endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges in two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming a victim of that rape. How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?” Stephanopoulos asked.
Mace, clearly taken aback by the line of questioning, accused Stephanopoulos of attempting to “shame” her as a rape victim. “I find it offensive. And this is why women won’t come forward,” Mace retorted. “They are judged, and they’re shamed, and you’re trying to shame me this morning. I think it’s disgusting.”
Trump’s legal team argues that Stephanopoulos’ statements were “false, defamatory, and misleading,” and that they quickly spread to numerous third parties and media outlets, reaching countless viewers.
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The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from both ABC and Stephanopoulos, as well as punitive damages intended to punish the defendants for their actions.
