ABC News host George Stephanopoulos avoided mentioning his network's settlement with President-elect Donald Trump on his Sunday show.
On Saturday, Fox News revealed that ABC News and Stephanopoulos settled Trump’s defamation lawsuit to avoid an expensive trial.
Despite the big news, "This Week" skipped the topic. Stephanopoulos focused instead on drones over New Jersey, Syria's ongoing conflicts, and Trump’s cabinet picks.
Adding to the mystery, Stephanopoulos deleted his X account over the weekend.
The lawsuit stemmed from Stephanopoulos claiming Trump was found "liable for rape" during a heated interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., last March.
After showing a clip of Mace discussing her experience as a rape survivor, Stephanopoulos pressed her. "How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?" he asked.
He then added, "Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape," referencing E. Jean Carroll's case. However, the jury actually found Trump liable for "sexual abuse," not rape.
Stephanopoulos repeated the rape claim ten times during the exchange, sparking Trump's lawsuit. He initially dismissed the threat in May, telling Stephen Colbert, "Trump sued me because I used the word ‘rape,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen."
As part of the settlement, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to a future Trump presidential foundation and $1 million in Trump’s attorney fees. ABC stated it was "pleased" the case had been resolved.