In an interview on Sunday, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., accused ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos of attempting to “shame” her for supporting former President Donald Trump despite being a sexual assault survivor.
The heated exchange began when Stephanopoulos asked Mace how she reconciled her support for Trump with the fact that the previous president was convicted of sexual abuse and defamation against writer E. Jean Carroll.
“I will tell you, I was raped at the age of 16,” Mace said on Sunday. “As any rape survivor will tell you, I’ve lived for 30 years with an immense sense of humiliation about being raped. I didn’t come out because I felt judged and ashamed.
She said, “I’m not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question designed to embarrass me about another potential rape victim.” I am not going to do that.”
Stephanopoulos responded that his inquiry was not about shaming her but about Carroll’s civil trial against Trump. However, Mace continued to criticize the anchor.
“You’re asking me a question about my political choices, trying to shame me as a rape victim, and I find it disgusting,” he replied.
The Alabama congressman also contended that the verdict against Trump was reached in a civil proceeding rather than a criminal one, despite the fact that Trump was found liable by the jury. She also attacked Carroll’s comments regarding the case and its outcome.
In January, Trump was forced to pay $83.3 million to Carroll for defaming her in 2019. He appealed the ruling earlier this month.
Carroll commended Stephanopoulos in a Sunday post on X, formerly Twitter, for “valiantly defending me.” The columnist went on to say that she wishes Mace well and admires “all survivors for their strength, endurance, and holding on to their sanity.”
