Donald Trump ordered to testify in $10bn BBC defamation lawsuit

Donald Trump BBC defamation lawsuit deposition January 6 Capitol riot

A US federal judge has ordered Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett issued the ruling after the broadcaster accused Trump of stalling the discovery process. The judge warned that failure to comply could result in sanctions, including the potential dismissal of the lawsuit.

The litigation stems from a BBC Panorama documentary titled ‘Trump: A Second Chance’, which aired in 2024. Trump alleges the program used misleadingly edited clips of his January 6, 2021, speech to falsely suggest he incited the riot at the US Capitol. While the BBC has apologized for the misleading montage, it denies any legal liability for defamation.

Trump previously canceled a scheduled deposition on October 16, citing matters of national importance. However, BBC lawyers argued that he was instead participating in campaign events in Georgia and at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The judge also granted the BBC permission to seek financial and membership records from Trump’s business network and Mar-a-Lago to assess potential damages.

Entities

BBC · Charles Tobin · Donald Trump · Enjoliqué Lett · Jack Smith · Mar-a-Lago · Miami · US Capitol

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The BBC has subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith to testify in the case. dailyboulder.com · www.upday.com · whdh.com
[● 5 SOURCES] Failure to comply with the deposition order could lead to the dismissal of Trump's lawsuit. www.vol.at · sundayguardianlive.com · www.upday.com · www.theage.com.au · www.cbsnews.com
[● 12 SOURCES] Judge Enjolique Lett ordered Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11. www.vol.at · www.it-boltwise.de · novini247.com · srnnews.com · www.devdiscourse.com · +7 more
[● 25 SOURCES] Trump missed a scheduled deposition on October 16, citing matters of national importance. www.vol.at · www.it-boltwise.de · novini247.com · srnnews.com · news.az · +19 more
[● 5 SOURCES] The BBC admitted that its documentary edited quotes from Trump's January 6, 2021, speech in a misleading way. www.vol.at · srnnews.com · sundayguardianlive.com · www.upday.com · whdh.com
[● 14 SOURCES] The discovery period for the case is scheduled to end on December 18. www.vol.at · www.it-boltwise.de · sundayguardianlive.com · www.upday.com · www.theage.com.au · +9 more
[● 49 SOURCES] Trump is suing the BBC for at least $10 billion in damages. www.vol.at · novini247.com · srnnews.com · dailyboulder.com · sundayguardianlive.com · +42 more
[● 34 SOURCES] The lawsuit concerns a BBC documentary titled ‘Trump: A Second Chance’. www.vol.at · srnnews.com · www.cbsnews.com · www.devdiscourse.com · www.finanzen.at · +29 more
[● 48 SOURCES] The lawsuit concerns edited clips of Trump's January 6, 2021, speech. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.in.gr · www.vol.at · srnnews.com · +41 more
[● 43 SOURCES] Trump canceled a deposition on October 16, citing matters of national importance. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.in.gr · www.vol.at · www.it-boltwise.de · +36 more
[DISPUTED] The BBC denies all allegations of defamation. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.in.gr · www.vol.at · srnnews.com · +37 more
[DISPUTED] The BBC admitted the montage was misleading and apologized. www.businessdaily.gr · www.insider.gr · www.in.gr · www.vol.at · srnnews.com · +39 more