NBC News political analyst Chuck Todd voiced his support for George Stephanopoulos following ABC News's substantial $15 million settlement with former President Donald Trump in a defamation lawsuit. Todd expressed concern about the precedent set by the settlement and suggested he would have felt abandoned by his network if he were in Stephanopoulos's shoes.
Todd, speaking with journalist Chris Cillizza, characterized the settlement as a "gut punch" to media professionals and a "decision to buy off bad PR." He emphasized the potential difficulties arising from this precedent for major media outlets.
The lawsuit stemmed from Stephanopoulos's repeated assertion that Trump was found "liable for rape" during a heated exchange with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) on "This Week." Legally, a jury found Trump liable for "sexual abuse," a distinct legal term under New York law. Stephanopoulos reiterated the "liable for rape" claim ten times during the interview.
The settlement, filed publicly on Saturday, mandates a $15 million charitable contribution to a future presidential foundation or museum established by or for Trump, mirroring practices of past presidents. Additionally, ABC News will cover $1 million of Trump's legal fees.
While acknowledging his lack of complete understanding of the circumstances surrounding the settlement, Todd speculated about potential undisclosed liabilities. He further discussed with Cillizza the implications of large corporations like Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI making contributions to Trump-related initiatives, questioning whether this signifies a broader trend of accommodating the former president.
Todd also expressed concerns about the impact of publicly traded companies owning news organizations, suggesting this model is facing challenges.
