Trump’s Defamation Suit Against ABC News Moves Forward
A federal judge in Florida has allowed former President Donald J. Trump’s defamation suit against ABC News to proceed, rejecting the television network’s attempt to dismiss the case.
Defamation Allegations Against ABC News
Filed in March, the lawsuit claims that ABC’s anchor, George Stephanopoulos, defamed Mr. Trump by repeatedly stating on a March 10 segment of “This Week” that the former president had been found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
Details of the Case
Mr. Trump was found liable last year in a Manhattan civil case for sexually abusing and defaming Ms. Carroll. While the jury did not find him liable for rape as defined under New York State law, the judge in the case asserted that Mr. Trump had been held liable for rape “as many people commonly understand the word.”
Court’s Decision
Defamation cases involving public figures typically require a high standard of proof. However, Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the U.S. District Court in Miami denied ABC’s motion to dismiss the case. She stated, “A jury may, upon viewing the segment, find there was sufficient context. But a reasonable jury could conclude Plaintiff was defamed and, as a result, dismissal is inappropriate.”
This decision allows Mr. Trump’s defamation suit against ABC News to move forward, setting the stage for further legal proceedings.