George Stephanopoulos was repeatedly told by his executive producer not to “use the word ‘rape’” before going on the air to discuss Donald Trump but the ABC News anchor ignored the warning — a decision that cost the network $16 million, The Post has learned.
Parent company Disney’s capitulation last week in the defamation lawsuit by Trump against ABC News and Stephanopoulos shocked media and legal experts, but the damning revelation could help explain why Mouse House CEO Bob Iger signed off on the settlement so quickly.
During an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) in March, the “This Week” host said that Trump was “liable for rape” while discussing the civil lawsuit won by journalist E. Jean Carroll.
“rape” before he went on air and defamed former President Donald Trump,
sources said.GC Images
“‘This Week’ producer said ‘don’t use the word rape’ before the segment started,” a network source told The Post. “The EP [executive producer] said it so many times.”
A second source at the show confirmed via a text message viewed by The Post that Stephanopoulos was warned “not to say rape.”
Disney’s chances of winning the lawsuit would be damaged if Stephanopoulos ignored his producer’s warning, legal experts told The New York Post.
Often, when dealing with litigious subjects, the company’s legal team may speak to producers ahead of time to advise on language so as to avoid lawsuits, which is customary in the media industry.
However, it is unclear whether ABC’s legal team had been involved before Stephanopoulos went on the air.
ABC News declined to comment. Reps for Disney and Stephanopoulos did not return requests for comment.
Iger agreed to the deal late Friday — hours after Florida Judge Cecilia Altonaga rejected a request to delay the case and ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for hours-long depositions just days before Christmas, the New York Times reported Wednesday.