Trump given December deadline to testify in US$10b BBC defamation suit

US President Donald Trump filed his suit against the BBC in December 2025 and is seeking at least US$5 billion on each of two counts. — AFP pic

First Published: Friday, 23 Oct 2026 8:58 AM MYT

MIAMI, Oct 23 — A US judge yesterday issued President Donald Trump a December 11 deadline to testify under oath in his US$10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.

Judge Enjolique Lett in Miami gave the order in response to complaints by the British broadcaster that Trump has refused to sit for a deposition, including canceling a previously agreed date of October 16.

If Trump fails to attend the deposition by then, he risks sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit, the court said.

Trump has accused the BBC of deceptively editing its documentary Trump: A Second Chance to make it seem as if he was inciting violence when he told supporters to march on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, after losing the presidential election.

The crowd proceeded to storm Congress in an attempt to stop the formal certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.

While the BBC has apologized for the incident, which prompted the resignation of multiple senior executives, the broadcaster has denied it caused Trump any real injury and moved for the case to be dismissed.

Trump filed his suit against the BBC in December 2025 and is seeking at least US$5 billion on each of two counts.

Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the BBC, said in court that Trump had no real excuse not to testify and that on October 16, he had only been campaigning, “participating in party politics.”

“No plaintiff is above the law,” Tobin said.

In a court filing Wednesday, Trump’s legal team argued that he was not seeking to avoid a deposition but had been constrained by “matters of national importance.”

The lawyers said Trump would be able to give a deposition between January 11 and 22.

Trump has made attacks on the media a signature of his two presidential terms, insulting reporters who ask questions he doesn’t like and seeking to ban outlets airing critical reports from the White House.

Most recently, the administration has plunged into a legal dispute with CNN, MSNOW and Politico over attempts to bar them from the White House.

With his approval ratings in the low 30 per cent range and polls showing his Republican Party likely to lose control of the House of Representatives in the November 3 midterm elections, Trump faces increasing headwinds as he approaches his final years in power. — AFP