Stephanopoulos Repeatedly Told Not To Say 'Rape' In Interview That Cost Disney $16 Million

In a revelation that may explain why ABC parent Disney folded so quickly in Donald Trump's defamation suit, the New York Post has reported that, in preparation for his March interview that lies at the center of the suit, an executive producer repeatedly warned George Stephanopoulos not to use the word "rape" in reference to Trump's loss of a civil suit filed by E. Jean Carroll -- only for Stephanopolous to plunge ahead and use it a dozen times.

On Saturday, ABC announced it had reached a settlement in the defamation suit filed by Trump, which would result in a $15 million charitable contribution to a foundation to create a Trump presidential museum, along with $1 million to cover Trump's attorney fees. In the Carroll suit, Trump was found liable for "sexual abuse," which under New York law is distinctly different from rape. Carroll was awarded more than $83 million, with most of the money associated with liability for defamation, reputational harm, emotional harm and punitive damages. 

“‘This Week’ producer said ‘don’t use the word rape’ before the segment started,” an ABC source told The Post. “The EP [executive producer] said it so many times.” A second source verified that account. 

The decision by ABC and parent company Disney to settle the suit triggered widespread condemnation for "caving in" or "bending a knee" to Trump. The Post report adds new perspective to that decision, as testimony about Stephanopoulos' apparent brazen violation of the sound advice given to him by his producer would have severely undercut Disney's ability to defeat Trump's defamation claim.   

Disney's surrender came right after the judge overseeing the case not only rejected Disney's request to delay the proceedings, but also ordered near-immediate depositions by Trump and Stephanopoulos, and Disney's production of "all remaining documents" relevant to the lawsuit, including emails and text messages to and from Stephanopoulos, The New York Times reported. 

In an earlier scoop, The Post cited an ABC source who described Stephanopoulos as “apoplectic” and “humiliated” by the settlement. Stephanopoulos also appears to have rage-quit the X social media platform after Disney caved, deactivating his account that had more than 2.3 million followers. In addition to the cash, he and the network were compelled to give the following apology: "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."

Despite his emphatic and enormously expensive disregard for his producer's direction, ABC just signed Stephanopoulos to a new contract. He reportedly made $18 million a year on his previous deal -- almost as much as the settlement with Trump, and Disney is covering the entire settlement. When Trump initially filed his defamation suit, Stephanopoulos told Stephen Colbert he wouldn't be "cowed out of doing my job because of a threat." 

The Stephanopoulos disaster unfolded in a March 10 interview with South Carolina Sen. Nancy Mace on his Sunday morning show, "This Week." After showing a clip of Mace discussing being a rape victim at age 16, Stephanopoulos asked, "How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?" Mace told Stephanopoulos it was "offensive" to "shame" her and said his questioning was "disgusting." As he attempted to deflect Mace's questionable characterization, Stephanopoulos used the word "rape" over and over again to wrongly describe what Trump been found liable for in the Carroll case.  

According to the Times, other concerns played into the decision to settle the case, including:

• Not wanting the case to add to Disney's increasing alienation from conservatives -- particularly where its movies, TV shows and theme parks are concerned
• Fear that a Florida civil suit jury may have hammered Disney for much more than the $16 million settlement
• Worries that, if the case went to the Supreme Court, it could lead to the overturning of New York Times v Sullivan, a landmark 1964 ruling that makes it difficult for public figures to win libel suits

While the president-elect's latest pummeling of Stephanopoulos came indirectly, Trump memorably humiliated him face-to-face earlier this year, with a reference to $75,000 in donations to the Clinton Foundation that cost Stephanopoulos the job of hosting a 2015 Republican primary debate: