Judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in BBC defamation lawsuit
A US magistrate judge says Trump must answer questions under oath by December 11 or face sanctions, including possible dismissal of his $10bn case against the BBC.
At a glance
- US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett ordered Trump to answer questions under oath in his $10bn defamation suit against the BBC by December 11.
- Trump cancelled an earlier October 16 deposition citing a "matter of national importance"; a BBC lawyer said he was campaigning in Georgia instead.
- The case concerns a BBC documentary's editing of Trump's January 6, 2021 speech; the BBC apologised but denies defamation.
A US federal magistrate judge has ordered President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC, setting a deadline of December 11 and warning that the case could be dismissed if he fails to comply.
Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett ruled on Thursday that Trump must sit for a deposition with the broadcaster's lawyers. If he does not appear, he could face sanctions, including the possible dismissal of the lawsuit, the judge said.
The session had originally been scheduled for October 16, but Trump cancelled, citing a "matter of national importance". BBC lawyer Charles Tobin disputed that account, saying the president was in fact campaigning in the state of Georgia that day. Trump "was participating in party politics and prioritised that over sitting for the deposition", Tobin said.
What the case is about
The lawsuit centres on the BBC documentary *Trump: A Second Chance*, which used clips from a speech Trump gave on January 6, 2021 — the day his supporters attacked the US Capitol. Trump says the footage was edited misleadingly to suggest he encouraged those present to storm the Capitol, where legislators were certifying his 2020 election defeat.
The BBC has acknowledged that its filmmakers spliced together different parts of the speech. The head of the BBC and its top news executive both resigned, and the broadcaster issued an apology. It denies Trump's defamation claims.
Trump has maintained that he never told his supporters to commit violence in order to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. He has also continued to push his false claim that his 2020 loss was the result of election rigging, and during the January 6 speech on the Ellipse outside the White House he urged the crowd to "fight like hell".
Wider litigation
The BBC case is one of several defamation actions Trump has brought against news outlets over coverage he dislikes or casts as unfair. He refiled a $10bn lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal in May after it was previously dismissed, and another case seeks $15bn in damages from The New York Times and book publisher Penguin Random House.
Press freedom advocates say that streak of litigation is alarming, arguing the president frequently uses government pressure and legal threats to shape coverage in his favour. A congressional probe into the events around January 6 concluded that Trump was reluctant to call on his supporters to stand down once they had stormed the Capitol.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Why is Donald Trump being sued by the BBC?
- Trump is suing the BBC for $10bn over its documentary Trump: A Second Chance, saying a clip of his January 6, 2021 speech was edited to suggest he encouraged supporters to storm the Capitol. The BBC has apologised for splicing the footage but denies defamation.
- When must Trump give a deposition in the BBC case?
- Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett ruled that Trump must sit for questioning by BBC lawyers no later than December 11. If he does not, he could face sanctions, including possible dismissal of the lawsuit.
- What other defamation lawsuits has Trump filed against news outlets?
- Trump has refiled a $10bn lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and is seeking $15bn in damages from The New York Times and publisher Penguin Random House, according to the report.
