Trump ordered to sit for deposition in BBC defamation lawsuit
A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11 or face possible dismissal of the case.
The deposition was rescheduled after Trump canceled the original October 16 date, citing a 'matter of national importance.' BBC lawyer Charles Tobin revealed the president was actually campaigning in Georgia on that day. 'He was participating in party politics and prioritised that over sitting for the deposition,' Tobin stated.
Documentary Dispute
Trump's lawsuit against the BBC centers on a documentary titled 'Trump: A Second Chance,' which features clips of his January 6, 2021 speech. The former president claims the BBC misleadingly edited his remarks to suggest he encouraged supporters to storm the US Capitol. The BBC has acknowledged filmmakers spliced together different segments of Trump's remarks but has denied his defamation claims.
He was participating in party politics and prioritised that over sitting for the deposition.
Pattern of Lawsuits
The BBC case is one of several defamation lawsuits Trump has filed against news outlets. He has also launched a $10bn lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and a $15bn case against The New York Times and book publisher Penguin Random House. Press freedom advocates have expressed concern that Trump uses legal threats to shape coverage in his favor.
During his January 6 speech, Trump told supporters to 'fight like hell' while refusing to concede his election defeat. He has maintained he never encouraged violence, though he has continued to push the unsubstantiated claim that the 2020 election was rigged. The BBC documentary aired after Trump faced federal charges for attempting to overturn the election, which were dropped upon his re-election in 2024.
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