ABC News has renewed its contract with longtime anchor George Stephanopoulos, shortly after settling a defamation lawsuit with former President Donald Trump for a substantial sum. While the timing of the new contract and the $15 million settlement has raised eyebrows, network sources insist the two events are unrelated.

Stephanopoulos, whose previous contract reportedly earned him up to $18 million annually, was at the center of the defamation case, which concluded last week. The settlement reportedly caused internal friction at ABC, with sources claiming Stephanopoulos was both surprised and displeased by the network's decision. However, just hours after these reports surfaced, news of his contract extension was announced.

The lawsuit originated from comments made by Stephanopoulos during a March interview on his Sunday show, "This Week." He incorrectly stated multiple times that Trump had been found "liable for rape" in the E. Jean Carroll civil case. The jury's actual finding was "liability for sexual abuse," a legally distinct term under New York law. This inaccuracy led to Trump filing the defamation suit.

Initially, Stephanopoulos defended his remarks, stating he would not be intimidated by legal threats. He cited a judge's acknowledgment of the incident as justification for his word choice. However, a judge later dismissed ABC News' motion to dismiss Trump's lawsuit, leading to the eventual settlement.

As part of the settlement, ABC News will donate $15 million to a future presidential foundation or museum associated with Trump, a common practice for former presidents. An additional $1 million will cover Trump's legal expenses. Furthermore, both Stephanopoulos and ABC News issued statements of regret, published as an editor's note on the network's website. This settlement has drawn criticism from other media outlets, with some accusing ABC of capitulating to Trump.