| The heart bleeds. *urp* |
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos is said to be 'apoplectic' and 'humiliated' following the network's decision to pay $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit between ABC and Donald Trump.The settlement, which includes $15 million towards a presidential foundation and $1 million for Trump's legal fees, has sparked a firestorm within the Disney-owned news organization.
Stephanopoulos, a former aide to Bill Clinton in the 1990s, was particularly incensed at being compelled to issue a public apology, according to the New York Post.
Insiders explained how the veteran anchor remains 'defiant' amid the fallout.
'George is a very guarded person. His circle of trust is so small, and a lot of them don't work [at ABC anymore]. He felt cornered and blindsided,' one insider said.
The anchor's frustration with the network couples both the personal and professional strain the episode has taken on him - and it appears to have boiled over as he has since deactivated his X account, cutting ties with his more than 2.3 million followers.
The decision to settle has also left many ABC News staffers seething.
'It's front-page news everywhere, yet ABC doesn't report on itself,' one employee said.
A lack of internal communication from company bosses has only served to fuel resentment following recent layoffs across multiple departments at the network.
'It's another gut punch. The sheer level of embarrassment—people are furious,' a staffer lamented.
The lawsuit stemmed from a March interview during which Stephanopoulos erroneously claimed Trump had been found liable for the rape in a civil case of writer E. Jean Carroll.
In that case, a jury actually found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, awarding her $5 million in damages.
However, the jury did not conclude that Trump had committed rape as defined under New York law.
Stephanopoulos' phrasing - referring to Trump as being 'found liable for rape' -became the crux of the defamation suit.
Trump argued the statements were made with 'malice' and disregard for the legal distinction that the jury's verdict did not meet the state's specific definition of rape.
During the interview, Stephanopoulos pressed Mace, saying: 'Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape.'