ABC News Staffers Outraged by Network’s ‘Capitulation’ to Trump
Judge Kaplan’s clarification in the Carroll case distinguished between the legal definition of “rape” in New York and its common understanding, emphasizing that the jury found Trump liable for actions aligning with the broader definition. This legal nuance was central to a subsequent $15 million settlement between Trump and ABC News, stemming from a report that used the term “rape” in describing the verdict. The settlement sparked internal outrage at ABC News, with concerns raised about a potential chilling effect on future critical coverage of Trump. Trump’s continued pursuit of defamation lawsuits against media outlets signals a strategy to stifle negative press coverage through litigation.