Trump and Stephanopoulos ordered to give depositions in ABC News lawsuit.
'This Week' host has been accused of defaming Trump by the president himself.
On Friday, a judge ruled that President-elect Donald Trump and ABC News host George Stephanopoulos will undergo depositions in Trump's defamation lawsuit against the anchor and his network next week.
ABC News and Stephanopoulos are being sued for defamation by Trump after the host made a false statement about Trump being "found liable for rape" during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace in March 2021.
On Friday, lawyers representing ABC and Stephanopoulos, who hosts "Good Morning America," argued in a virtual hearing that Trump must appear for an in-person deposition next week before the deadline for the defendants to file a motion for summary judgment to prevent a trial.
A judge has argued that the game has changed now that the election is over, as Trump has not yet agreed to a recorded deposition, according to NBC News.
Trump was ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid to attend an in-person deposition the week of Dec. 16. Reid stated that while Trump had a valid excuse for not appearing during the campaign due to his busy schedule, he now has more time and should comply with the order.
Nathan Siegel, the lawyer representing ABC News, has stated that he is willing to make the deposition process as convenient as possible for Trump, including flying to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and limiting the deposition to four hours, and possibly doing such a sit-down on a Saturday.
Stephanopoulos will be permitted to do his deposition remotely, the judge ruled.
The lawyer of the president-elect, Alejandro Brito, stated that it is challenging to hold a meeting with Trump due to the nature of his position, even if the election has ended.
"Brito stated that he would do everything within his power to make the president accessible, but there are constraints to his ability due to the involvement of the Secret Service."
NBC reported that he "promised the court he would promptly collaborate with Trump's team to determine his schedule for the upcoming week."
Neither Trump nor Stephanopoulos' representatives responded to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment.
During a heated conversation with Mace on March 10, Stephanopoulos posed a question to her, asking, "Given your endorsement of Donald Trump, how do you reconcile that with the testimony we just heard about being a victim of rape?"
E. Jean Carroll's legal victory against Donald Trump for rape and defamation was alluded to by Stephanopoulos, who mentioned the judges and juries that found Trump liable for these offenses.
Despite a jury determining Trump liable for "sexual abuse," which has a specific definition under New York law, Stephanopoulos repeated the claim ten times during his argument with Mace.
Stephanopoulos has been supported by ABC since the interview, and the trial date for the lawsuit against the network has been postponed from April 2025 to June 2025 after both parties requested extensions.
Planet Chronicle Digital's Brian Flood contributed to this report.
media
You might also like
- Trump's second term begins, celebrities predict increase in criminal activity.
- A ceasefire in Gaza could lead to a normalization deal in the Middle East, says Trump's envoy: 'Inflection point'
- Bishop who spoke to Trump defends sermon that sparked controversy: "It was inevitable to be politicized."
- Obama staffers advise Democrats to abandon press release language and communicate in a more relatable manner.
- Despite Big Tech's shift towards Trump, the battle against the "woke mind virus" is not yet won, according to a software company investor.