Trump Given December 11 Deadline To Testify In $10 Billion Defamation Suit Against BBC

A US judge on Thursday, October 22, gave President Donald Trump until December 11 to testify under oath in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC, which seeks billions of dollars in damages over the broadcaster’s editing of a documentary about the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

Judge Enjolique Lett in Miami issued the deadline after the BBC complained that Trump had refused to appear for a deposition, including cancelling a previously agreed date of October 16. The court warned that failure to comply could invite sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit.

Trump filed the case in December 2025, accusing the BBC of deceptively editing its documentary Trump: A Second Chance to make it appear that he was inciting violence when he addressed supporters ahead of the Capitol attack.

BBC Says Trump Has No Excuse For Missing Deposition

During the hearing, Charles Tobin, a lawyer representing the BBC, argued that Trump had no valid reason to avoid testifying. He said the president had been campaigning and “participating in party politics” on October 16, the date originally agreed upon for the deposition.

“No plaintiff is above the law,” Tobin told the court.

Trump’s legal team disputed the suggestion that he was trying to avoid the deposition. In a court filing on Wednesday, October 21, his lawyers said he had been constrained by “matters of national importance”.

They argued that Trump would be available to give his deposition between January 11 and 22, 2027, a date range that falls beyond the deadline set by the judge.

The lawsuit concerns the BBC documentary Trump: A Second Chance, which Trump alleges was edited to create a misleading impression of his remarks on January 6, 2021. After losing the 2020 presidential election, Trump told supporters to march on the US Capitol. A crowd subsequently stormed the building in an attempt to stop the formal certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.

The BBC has apologised for the editing controversy, which prompted the resignation of several senior executives. However, the broadcaster has denied causing Trump any real injury and has sought dismissal of the case.

Trump is seeking at least $5 billion on each of two counts, bringing the total damages sought to $10 billion.

Trump’s Legal Battles With Media Outlets Intensify

Trump has frequently clashed with news organisations during his two presidential terms, criticising journalists over unfavourable coverage and seeking to restrict access for outlets that have published reports critical of his administration.

The administration has also become embroiled in legal disputes involving CNN, MSNOW and Politico over attempts to bar them from the White House.

The BBC case adds to the president’s ongoing legal confrontations with media organisations over their coverage of his political conduct and public statements.

The December 11 deadline puts the next step in the BBC litigation on a tighter timetable, with Trump facing the possibility of court sanctions if he fails to appear for questioning under oath.

(With AFP Inputs)