BBC Seeks Court Order to Compel Trump Deposition in Defamation Case
Broadcaster argues former president is attempting to delay testimony in $10 billion lawsuit he filed against them.
Lawyers for the BBC are asking a Florida court to compel former President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in the $10 billion defamation case he brought against the British broadcaster. The BBC alleges Trump is attempting to postpone his testimony until January 2027.
In a filing this week, BBC attorneys stated that Trump canceled a previously agreed-upon deposition date of October 16, citing “matters of national importance.” They further contend that Trump’s counsel has indicated he has no availability before the close of discovery on December 18, proposing dates in January instead. This, the BBC argues, has prevented them from obtaining crucial evidence for their defense.
Trump filed the lawsuit against the BBC in December, seeking $10 billion in damages. He accused the broadcaster of defamation and deceptive trade practices related to its documentary "Trump: A Second Chance." The lawsuit alleged the BBC presented a "false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump" in an attempt to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The BBC acknowledged that filmmakers spliced quotes from a January 6, 2021, speech to suggest Trump was directly urging violence, though they have denied defaming him. The head of the BBC and its top news executive resigned following the controversy.
BBC lawyers initiated deposition requests in July and assert they followed up repeatedly before agreeing to the October 16 date. Trump's legal team responded on September 28, stating the president was unavailable and promising to provide a replacement date, which they argue never materialized. Instead, they were informed last week of Trump's complete lack of availability before the discovery deadline.
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team reiterated the allegations against the BBC, stating the president is holding the broadcaster accountable for defamation and alleged election interference. The spokesperson did not directly address the reasons for the deposition delay.
This legal dispute echoes a previous instance where Trump voluntarily dropped a $500 million lawsuit against his former lawyer Michael Cohen days before he was scheduled to be deposed in that case.