President-elect Donald Trump and ABC News host George Stephanopoulos will take depositions next week in Trump's defamation lawsuit against the anchor and his network, a judge ruled Friday.
During an interview with U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R.S.C.) on “This Week” last March, President Trump claimed that the host said several times that Trump “was found responsible for rape.” She is suing ABC News and Stephanopoulos for defamation after making the wrong statement.
Lawyers representing Mr. Stephanopoulos, who is also a host on ABC and “Good Morning America,” said in a virtual hearing Friday that President Trump will testify in person next week before the defense's Dec. 24 deadline for filings. He insisted that he needed to comply with the recording. Seek summary judgment to avoid trial.
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Buckeye Values PAC rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024. (Kamil Krzazinski/AFP via Getty Images)
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos inaccurately says President Trump was found 'responsible for rape' 10 times, legal expert says
Mr. Trump has so far given recorded testimony, but the judge argued that the situation has changed now that the election is over. NBC News reported.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reed ordered Trump to appear for an in-person deposition the week of Dec. 16. She argued that Trump had previously made “pretty good arguments” but was too busy during the presidential campaign to have time to do so. “He is now in a completely different position and should make himself available,” the campaign said.
Nathan Siegel, an attorney representing ABC News, intends to make the deposition process as convenient as possible for President Trump, flying to his Mar-a-Lago, Fla., mansion and limiting the depositions to four. He claimed that. We might do a sit-in like that for a few hours, and maybe on Saturday.
Stephanopoulos will be allowed to give a deposition remotely, the judge ruled.
Trump sues ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation
George Stephanopoulos has been a frequent critic of Trump. (ABC/Paula Lobo via Getty Images)
The president-elect's lawyer, Alejandro Brito, argued that the nature of Trump's position makes such a meeting difficult, even after the election.
“I intend to do everything in my power to serve as president,” Brito said. “But my ability to do so is limited. I have to factor the Secret Service into the equation.”
He “assured the court that he would immediately work with Mr. Trump's staff to figure out availability next week,” NBC reported.
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Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Trump and Stephanopoulos, but neither man immediately responded to comment.
Stephanopoulos' comments were made during a tense exchange with Mace on March 10. After playing a clip of Mace talking about being a rape victim, Stephanopoulos asked, “How do you square your support for Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?”
“You supported Donald Trump as a presidential candidate, and a judge and two juries accused him of rape and “We have determined that he is liable for defamation of the victim's reputation.”
George Stephanopoulos questioned U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace's support for Donald Trump as a rape victim during an interview that is at the center of a defamation lawsuit against the ABC anchor. (Left: (Photo Credit: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images), Right: (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, Getty Images))
Mr. Stephanopoulos repeated this claim 10 times during his argument with Mr. Mace, even though a jury actually found Mr. Trump liable for “sexual abuse,” which is clearly defined under New York state law. regardless of.
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The ABC has supported Mr Stephanopoulos since the interview. The case against ABC recently had its jury trial start date pushed back from April 2025 to June 2025 after both sides asked for an extension.
Fox News Digital's Brian Flood contributed to this report.
