Judge orders Trump to sit for BBC deposition by December

Summarised from 10 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 17:58 · Archive

A US judge has ordered President Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC by 11 December.

A federal judge in Miami has ordered President Trump to sit for a deposition by 11 December in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. US Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett issued the ruling on Thursday after the BBC's legal team complained that Trump had delayed his pre-trial testimony.

Charles Tobin, attorney for the BBC, told the court that with two months remaining in the discovery period, the legal team "still haven't been able to depose the plaintiff." He said the two sides had agreed on an October 16 deposition, but Trump cancelled over a "matter of national importance." Tobin told the judge that Trump was in fact campaigning in Georgia on that date. "He was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition," Tobin stated.

Trump's lawyers had requested that his deposition take place between 11 and 22 January, but the judge rejected this timeline. Judge Lett warned that Trump must comply with the court's schedule or face sanctions, potentially including dismissal of his entire lawsuit, unless the discovery period is extended beyond 18 December. The judge also rejected a request from Trump's legal team to prevent the deposition from being videotaped, though the recording will be accessible only to attorneys in the case.

During Thursday's hearing, the judge also addressed disputes over document disclosure. The BBC's lawyers argued that Trump's team had not been sufficiently forthcoming in providing internal documents relevant to the case. The documents that Trump's team have produced have primarily been pulled from the internet or provided by the BBC itself. Judge Lett told Trump's Florida-based attorney Alejandro Brito that the submission "strains credulity that a thorough search has been done."

Trump filed the lawsuit against the BBC in December 2025, alleging the broadcaster produced a "false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction" of him in a Panorama documentary titled "Trump: A Second Chance." The suit accuses the BBC of a "brazen attempt" to interfere with and influence the 2024 presidential election to his detriment.

The documentary edited together two separate sections of Trump's speech delivered outside the White House on 6 January 2021, before the storming of the US Capitol, making it appear he explicitly urged supporters to attack the building. The BBC has apologised for the edit, admitted it gave "the mistaken impression that President Trump made a direct call for violent action," and promised not to broadcast the documentary again. The BBC's then-director-general Tim Davie announced his resignation over the error, and chairman Samir Shah apologised on behalf of the broadcaster. However, the BBC denies defaming Trump and "strongly disagrees there is a basis for a defamation claim."

During Thursday's hearing in Miami, legal teams also clashed over whether former special counsel Jack Smith should undergo a deposition in the case, an idea Trump's team firmly opposed.

How it is being reported

• Trump ordered to answer questions under oath in BBC lawsuitTrump is suing the BBC over an episode of Panorama that edited together two different sections of a speech he gave in 2021.BBC News · 22 Oct, 17:49
• Judge says Trump must sit for deposition in BBC defamation lawsuitA federal judge said President Trump must sit for a deposition with lawyers for the BBC by Dec. 11 as part of his ongoing defamation lawsuit.CBS News · 22 Oct, 17:46
• Judge orders Trump to sit for a deposition in his BBC defamation lawsuit by December 11The BBC has accused Trump of seeking to postpone his deposition until January 2027.Euronews · 22 Oct, 17:33
• Trump hit with pivotal choice in $10 billion lawsuit against major media outletPresident Trump was given a Dec. 11 deadline by a federal judge Thursday to give a deposition in his behemoth $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.New York Post · 22 Oct, 17:29
• Judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in BBC defamation lawsuit by Dec. 11: ReportsTrump's lawyers had requested that his deposition be conducted between Jan. 11 and Jan. 22.CNBC · 22 Oct, 17:21
• Trump handed deadline by judge to give interview under oath in BBC libel caseThe ruling follows complaints by the broadcaster’s legal team that the US president had delayed his pre-trial deposition.Evening Standard · 22 Oct, 17:03
• US judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in $10bn lawsuit against BBCJudge threatens to dismiss Trump’s BBC lawsuit unless he cooperates with discovery process and sits for deposition Donald Trump has been ordered by a US judge to cooperate with the discovery process mandated for his lawsuit against the BBC and to sit for a deposition by 11 December – or else he could be subject to sanctions, including the possible dismissal of the $10bn lawsuit. The lawsuit stems from a Panorama documentary aired by the BBC that spliced together comments made by Trump during a rally on 6 January 2021, before the US Capitol riot. While the broadcast was not readily available…The Guardian · 22 Oct, 16:57
• Trump ordered to sit for deposition in $10bn defamation case against BBCA federal judge has ordered the US president to sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11The Independent · 22 Oct, 16:51
• Judge orders Trump to sit for deposition as BBC defamation lawsuit backfiresA federal judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11.Daily Mail · 22 Oct, 16:38
• Trump ordered by judge to sit for deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBCA federal judge has ordered US President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC by early December.Sky News · 22 Oct, 15:07

In this story: Donald Trump · BBC · Judge Enjoliqué Lett · Charles Tobin · Georgia · Miami · Florida

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