Former President Donald Trump is set to continue his legal battle against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos. A judge has ordered both Trump and Stephanopoulos to participate in depositions next week concerning Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the network.
The case stems from an interview in March where Stephanopoulos claimed multiple times that Trump was “found liable for rape” during a discussion with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace. These comments have led Trump to accuse Stephanopoulos and ABC of spreading false information.
During a recent virtual hearing, attorneys for ABC argued that Trump needs to attend an in-person deposition before the December 24 deadline for the defendants to file their motions for summary judgment. They asserted that this would help avoid a lengthy trial process.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid ruled that Trump must sit for this deposition, stating that the circumstances have changed since the election. Previously, Trump contended that his busy schedule during the campaign prevented him from participating. The judge emphasized that Trump should now be available given his new status.
ABC’s lawyer, Nathan Siegel, has offered to accommodate Trump for the deposition, suggesting they could hold it at Mar-a-Lago and limit it to four hours. Meanwhile, Stephanopoulos has received permission to conduct his deposition remotely.
Trump’s legal representation has highlighted the security challenges involved in arranging the meeting due to the presence of the Secret Service. They expressed commitment to making arrangements as swiftly as possible.
The controversy traces back to an interview where Stephanopoulos pressed Rep. Mace about her endorsement of Trump amid allegations against him. This discussion stirred significant public interest and has now become a focal point in Trump’s defamation claim. Despite the jury’s findings of Trump’s liability for “sexual abuse,” the distinction between this and “rape” is central to the case.
ABC has continued to support Stephanopoulos throughout the proceedings, and the trial date has been pushed back to June 2025 after both sides requested extensions.
