Donald Trump has been ordered to provide a collection of financial records within 10 days as part of his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. A federal magistrate judge ruled in favor of the British broadcaster, which is defending itself against the lawsuit.
The order requires the Trump Revocable Trust, the entity holding Trump's business interests while he is in office, to produce the documents. The trust is linked to nearly 400 entities, with Trump as its sole beneficiary, according to BBC filings.
The defamation case centers on a brief edit of Trump's January 6, 2021 address, which was used in a BBC Panorama film broadcast weeks before the 2024 election. The edited portion, combining a statement about walking to the Capitol with later remarks about fighting, led Trump's legal team to argue it created the impression that he incited the mob.
The BBC contends that the requested records will demonstrate that Trump's wealth has increased by over $1 billion in the past year, which would contradict his claim that the documentary negatively impacted his finances. The BBC is also seeking to depose Trump.
Trump's lawyers had previously characterized the demand for records as a "fishing expedition." Last week, Trump's legal team attempted to narrow the scope of the case by withdrawing economic damage claims and focusing solely on reputational harm. Attorney Alejandro Brito stated that the case had "evolved" and the damages were now "far more narrow."
However, BBC lawyer Chuck Tobin argued that separating Trump's reputation from his business operations was not feasible, noting his presidential platform was built on "the art of the deal."
The BBC is also independently attempting to have the case dismissed, questioning the jurisdiction of a Florida court over a television program that did not air in the United States. Judge Enjoliqué Aytch Lett stated that the trust's information is "relevant and material to any damages analysis."