Trump ordered to testify by December 11 in $10bn BBC lawsuit
A judge set a deadline for Donald Trump to answer questions under oath in his defamation case against the BBC. Missing it could bring sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit.
A federal judge in Miami ordered US President Donald Trump on October 22 to answer questions under oath by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. If he fails to attend the deposition, he could face sanctions, including dismissal of his case, according to an AFP report carried by RTÉ.
The order came after the BBC complained that Trump had not sat for questioning and had cancelled a previously agreed October 16 deposition date, AFP reported. The December 11 deadline could change if the judge extends the evidence-gathering period, which Al Jazeera reported was scheduled to end on December 18.
Why the BBC sought a deposition deadline
Trump’s lawyers sought to postpone the questioning until January. In a court filing, they said he was constrained by “matters of national importance” and offered dates between January 11 and 22, according to AFP. BBC lawyer Charles Tobin argued in court that Trump had no adequate reason to delay and said he had been campaigning on October 16. “No plaintiff is above the law,” Tobin said, according to AFP.
Judge Enjolique Lett also rejected Trump’s lawyers’ attempt to prevent the deposition from being filmed, Al Jazeera reported. Access to the recording would initially be limited to lawyers in the case. Separately, the judge gave Trump’s side 30 days to provide relevant documents requested by the BBC.
What Trump’s BBC lawsuit concerns
Trump alleges that a BBC documentary deceptively combined remarks from separate parts of his January 6, 2021 speech, making him appear to encourage violence at the US Capitol. He says the programme harmed his reputation and business interests. The BBC has apologised for the edit but disputes that Trump has grounds for a defamation claim, Al Jazeera reported.
Trump filed the lawsuit in December 2025 and seeks at least $5 billion on each of two counts, AFP reported. The BBC denies that the documentary caused him real injury and has asked the court to dismiss the case. That request is separate from the possible sanction the judge identified if Trump does not attend the deposition.
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Sources and context
- Trump ordered to testify in $10bn BBC lawsuit discovery: What happens now?Al Jazeera
- Trump ordered to testify in BBC defamation caseRTÉ (AFP report)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.