A federal judge has ordered former President Donald Trump to participate in a deposition by December 11 as part of his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The ruling came during a court hearing in Florida federal court, where U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett emphasized the need for Trump to answer questions under oath in the ongoing case.
Trump initiated the lawsuit in December, alleging that the publicly funded broadcaster edited a January 6, 2021, speech in a misleading manner to suggest he directed supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. The former president contends that the BBC’s editing distorted his remarks and harmed his reputation. The BBC acknowledged that the edits were misleading and issued an apology to Trump but has denied any liability for defamation.
The legal dispute is one among several defamation cases Trump has filed against media organizations, reflecting a broader effort to challenge media coverage he disputes. The BBC has accused Trump and his legal team of delaying the discovery process by resisting requests for documents and financial records. Specifically, the broadcaster is seeking information related to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club and his associated business entities, arguing that these records are necessary to assess the extent of damages claimed by Trump.
In response, Trump’s attorneys have characterized the BBC’s document requests as overly broad and irrelevant to the key issues of the case. They have also maintained that Trump is not evading the deposition but that his presidential duties and security concerns justified postponing a scheduled deposition in October.
Neither Trump’s representatives nor the BBC had immediately provided comment following the judge’s order. The case continues to unfold as both sides exchange arguments over the discovery process and the merits of the defamation claims.