1. The E. Jean Carroll Defamation Lawsuit Settlement (2024)1
This is a significant and recent event. Donald Trump sued ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos for defamation.2 The lawsuit stemmed from an interview in which Stephanopoulos repeatedly stated that Trump had been found "liable for rape" in a civil case involving E.3 Jean Carroll.4
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The Error: A jury had previously found Trump civilly liable for sexual abuse and defamation, but not for "rape" under the specific and narrow definition of New York law.5 This legal distinction was a key point of the lawsuit.
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The Settlement: ABC's owner, The Walt Disney Company, settled the case.6 The settlement was notable because it included a financial donation of $15 million to Trump's future presidential library foundation and an additional $1 million to cover his legal fees.7 As part of the agreement, ABC News also posted an editor's note on its website expressing "regret" for Stephanopoulos's statements.8
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Significance: The settlement was seen by some as a major victory for Trump and a rare instance of a major news organization making a significant concession in a defamation case. It highlighted the legal and reputational risks associated with even slight misstatements in high-profile reporting.
2. The Michael Flynn Reporting Error (2017)
This incident occurred during the early days of the Trump presidency and was a major self-inflicted blow to ABC News's credibility.
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The Error: Brian Ross, a veteran investigative reporter for ABC News, reported on live television that a source had told him Donald Trump, as a candidate, had instructed Michael Flynn to contact Russian officials.9 The report immediately caused a stir and briefly sent the stock market down.10
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The Correction: Later that same day, Ross issued a "clarification" that was itself murky. He then issued a full correction, stating his source had actually said the directive came after the election, when Trump was president-elect.
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Consequences: ABC News suspended Ross for four weeks without pay, citing a failure to follow editorial standards.11 The incident was widely criticized by journalists and commentators from all parts of the political spectrum as a serious breach of journalistic protocol, especially for a story of such high national importance. It provided fodder for critics who argued the network was engaging in "fake news."
3. The Amy Robach "Hot Mic" Controversy (2019)
This incident did not involve a published "lie," but rather a leaked recording that raised questions about ABC News's editorial decisions.
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The Incident: A video clip, released by the conservative group Project Veritas, showed ABC News anchor Amy Robach on a "hot mic" complaining that the network had refused to air her interview with an accuser of Jeffrey Epstein three years earlier.12 In the recording, Robach said she had "unbelievable" information, including allegations involving Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew.13
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The Network's Response: ABC News stated that the interview did not air at the time because it "did not meet our standards" due to insufficient corroborating evidence. Robach also issued a statement saying she was speaking out of "a private moment of frustration" and that she was referring to what the accuser had claimed, not what ABC News had been able to verify.
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The Fallout: The controversy fueled speculation that the network had bowed to pressure from powerful individuals, though ABC denied this. It raised broader questions about journalistic ethics, transparency, and the difficult decisions news organizations make when faced with sensitive, uncorroborated allegations.14
4. Allegations of Political Bias
Critics on both the left and right have accused ABC News of bias, though the most prominent accusations often come from the right, focusing on what they perceive as a "liberal" slant.
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Fact-Checking at Debates: During the 2024 presidential debate, ABC News moderators were both praised and condemned for fact-checking Donald Trump in real time.15 Supporters of the network argued this was a necessary measure given Trump's history of making false or misleading claims. Conversely, Trump and his allies accused the moderators of being biased and unfairly interrupting his responses while not similarly fact-checking Kamala Harris.16
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Editorial Choices: General criticism of ABC News's political bias often revolves around its choice of stories, the framing of headlines, and the selection of on-air commentators. For example, some have pointed to its coverage of issues like climate change, social policy, and gun control as evidence of a liberal leaning.
5. Other Notable Incidents
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Benghazi Report (2013): ABC News's Jonathan Karl reported on emails related to the Benghazi attack, claiming they showed the Obama administration edited talking points to remove references to terrorism. It was later revealed that Karl was quoting summaries from a Republican source, not the actual emails, which differed substantially from his report. Critics accused the network of failing to correct the report on air and misleading its viewers.
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Closing of RMIT ABC Fact Check (Australia): While a different branch of ABC, the decision by ABC Australia to end its collaboration with the independent RMIT ABC Fact Check unit in 2024 drew criticism from those who saw it as a retreat from holding politicians accountable.17 ABC Australia stated it would set up its own "Verify" unit, but some saw it as a move to distance itself from politically sensitive fact-checking.18
