Donald Trump’s legal team blocks BBC request for financial records in $10 billion defamation lawsuit

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is pursuing a $10 billion defamation claim against the British broadcaster BBC over a 2024 Panorama documentary that he says wrongly suggested he encouraged the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. The lawsuit is being heard in a Florida court.

The BBC has asked Trump’s lawyers to produce financial documents from the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, arguing the records are needed to assess the alleged damage to his brand and businesses. Trump's legal team has objected, calling the request a premature, improper “fishing expedition” that would require handing over tens of thousands of pages. They have also sought a delay and requested a new judge, citing a potential conflict of interest.

BBC counsel maintains that the information is relevant and has challenged the Florida court’s jurisdiction, noting the documentary was never aired in the United States. Both sides continue to contest the discovery issue as the high‑profile case moves forward.