Trumpโs $15 Million Defamation Settlement with ABC Sparks Outrage: โThis is How Democracy Diesโ
A media firestorm erupted on Saturday after reports surfaced that ABC agreed to pay $15 million to Donald Trumpโs presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit. The backlash was swift, with experts and critics lambasting the media giantโs decision, calling it a troubling precedent for press freedom.
According to The Associated Press, the settlement stems from a lawsuit Trump filed against ABC after anchor George Stephanopoulos mistakenly reported that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
In reality, the court found Trump liable for defamation and sexual abuse โ not rape. As part of the settlement, ABC reportedly issued an apology alongside the hefty payout.
‘This is Actually How Democracy Dies’
Reactions to the news quickly flooded social media, underscoring concerns about the mediaโs willingness to stand up to powerful figures.
โThis is actually how democracy dies,โ remarked reporter Oliver Willis. Many shared the same sentiment who fear the mediaโs role as a watchdog is being compromised.
Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance expressed disbelief.
โIโm old enough to remember โ and to have worked on โ cases where newspapers vigorously defended themselves against defamation cases instead of folding before the defendant was even deposed.โ
She pointed out that this includes lawsuits brought by presidential candidates.
Adding to the criticism, Democratic elections attorney Marc Elias highlighted a detail that rankled many: the โcharityโ receiving the settlement funds is none other than Trumpโs presidential foundation and museum.
‘This is so Gross’
Legal analyst Allison Gill, known as โMueller, She Wrote,โ didnโt mince words: โThis is so gross. And it keeps happening. Why not depose him?โ She questioned why ABC didnโt fight the case, insisting that $15 million was a price tag the network could have avoided. โABC would have won if they bothered fighting,โ she concluded in frustration.
Tech reporter Matt Novak summed up the broader implications: โNot good for the rest of us when you do this s—, ABC.โ He suggested the decision might reflect a deeper strategy within the network’s management: โBut thatโs probably half the point from managementโs perspective.โ
Human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid echoed concerns over profit-driven journalism: โThis is the cowardice of legacy media out to make profit, rather than uphold principle. The ongoing failure of legacy media is a stark reminder that independent and independently funded voices are now more critical than ever before.โ
The settlement is more than just a payout โ it raises serious questions about the strength of the free press in the face of powerful individuals and the lengths media outlets will go to avoid conflict. Critics fear that by caving in, ABC may have emboldened Trump and set a dangerous precedent for journalism in an era where truth is under attack.
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