Trump sues ABC, George Stephanopoulos for defamation after host accused him of rape in Mace interview

Former President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos, claiming his reputation was tarnished by the anchor saying multiple times on-air that Trump had been found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.

Trump filed the lawsuit in federal court in Miami on Monday over a viral interview between US Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Stephanopoulos on “This Week” on March 10, according to The Hill.

The suit takes aim at Stephanopoulos’ questioning for saying Trump had been found “liable for rape” when a jury in a Manhattan civil case last year only found Trump liable for sexual abuse under New York law.

“Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape. How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw? ” Stephanopoulos asked during the interview.

In a 20-page complaint, Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito accused Stephanopoulos of making the false statements “with actual malice or with a reckless disregard for the truth.”

“Indeed, the jury expressly found that Plaintiff did not commit rape and, as demonstrated below, Defendant George Stephanopoulos was aware of the jury’s finding in this regard yet still falsely stated otherwise,” Brito continued.

The former president asked for an unspecified amount of damages in the lawsuit.