Should Defamation Lawsuits Exist?

Jeffrey Miron and Jacob Winter

Last month, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to Donald Trump’s future presidential library to settle a defamation suit resulting from anchor George Stephanopoulos’ statements on March 10, 2024.

Defamation occurs when a person communicates false statements about another person that damage their reputation.

Since the founding of the country, defamation has been a tort—a matter for which one person can sue another. Additionally, defamation...