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On Saturday, Fox News Digital reported that ABC News and George Stephanopoulos agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit Donald Trump filed after Stephanopoulos falsely asserted that Trump was found “liable for rap[ing]” E. Jean Carroll in a civil case.

ABC agreed to apologize to Trump, issue a “statement of regret,” and donate $15 million to one of Trump’s foundations.

Then there’s Stephanopoulos. He did not mention the settlement or apology even once on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, the network’s flagship news program he anchors. Rather, he focused primarily on the hysteria surrounding Trump’s cabinet picks.

Moreover, he deleted his X account immediately after Fox News reported the news of the settlement.  

As Jason Whitlock commented above our post, Stephanopoulos is off to “BlueSky heaven.” Adding, “These people are so weak.”

Indeed.

The settlement may have Stephanopoulos concerned about his future at ABC. Surely, ABC and parent company Disney are fuming over having to pay $15 million (plus Trump’s attorney fees) and bending the knee to the enemy (Trump).

And it’s all Stephanopoulos’ fault. For context, Stephanopoulos repeated the false claim about Trump 10 times during an on-air interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., last March.

Stephanopoulos didn’t have his facts straight. And it cost his employer millions of dollars and its reputation.

He also handled himself arrogantly throughout the process, telling CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert he wasn’t even a bit concerned about the lawsuit. 

“Trump sued me because I used the word ‘rape,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss,” Stephanopoulos said.

Tensions between Stephanopoulos and ABC were also present in June, when the anchor told a pedestrian on the streets of New York that Joe Biden was not fit to serve a second term, an exchange obtained on video by TMZ.

The statement upset ABC as it felt like Stephanopoulos undermined the credibility of an interview he conducted with Biden just days prior. “Stephanopoulos expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News,” the network said in a statement.

ABC News also published an apology note from Stephanopoulos, reading, “Earlier today, I responded to a passerby. I shouldn’t have.”

Stephanopoulos’ relationship with ABC was already murky coming into this election cycle. In 2021, ABC News internally tapped David Muir over Stephanopoulos as its “chief anchor.” The decision led to widely reported tensions between Stephanopoulos and ABC, to the point he threatened to quit the company.

Disney executive chairman Bob Iger eventually brokered peace, ordering ABC to rid itself of the “chief anchor” position. 

But while Muir is not officially referred to as “chief anchor,” he is most certainly treated as such. Most notably, ABC News tasked Muir, not Stephanopoulos, to moderate the network’s presidential debate between Trump and Harris in September.

Ever thought about podcasting, George?