A federal judge in Miami has ordered U.S. President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), according to media reports.U.S.
Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett also warned Trump’s legal team that failure to provide documents and records relevant to the case could result in the dismissal of his lawsuit, Politico reported.
During Thursday’s hearing, BBC lawyer Charles Tobin told the court that Trump had initially agreed to give a deposition on October 16 but later canceled, citing a matter of national importance. Tobin claimed Trump was campaigning in Georgia on the same day.
Trump’s lawyers had requested that the deposition be scheduled between January 11 and January 22, but the judge ordered it to take place by December 11.The BBC’s legal team has also accused Trump’s lawyers of delaying the discovery process, which involves exchanging evidence and documents relevant to the lawsuit.
The broadcaster argued that Trump had failed to provide adequate records despite repeated requests.Trump filed the lawsuit on December 15, accusing the BBC of defamation over a *Panorama* documentary titled *Trump: A Second Chance*, which aired shortly before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The lawsuit alleges that the documentary edited footage of Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech in a way that falsely suggested he explicitly urged supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol. Trump’s legal team claims the edit was intended to damage his reputation and influence the election outcome.
The BBC’s chair previously apologized for the editing, and the broadcaster promised not to air the documentary again. However, the BBC has maintained that there is no legal basis for Trump’s defamation claim, despite expressing regret over how the footage was edited.
The case is ongoing, with the court’s latest order placing pressure on Trump to provide the required evidence and appear for questioning within the set deadline.
