The key facts

  • BBC asks the court to compel Trump to set a date for testimony in his $10 billion (€8.6 billion) lawsuit
  • In nearly eight months of discovery, BBC has deposed seven witnesses, but the plaintiff's deposition is not scheduled
  • A hearing on the matter is set for October 22; Trump's side did not explain the delay

BBC seeks Trump deposition

BBC has asked a federal court in Florida to compel US President Donald Trump to set a firm date for sworn testimony in his $10 billion (€8.6 billion) defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster, according to court documents. BBC's lawyers asked for the matter to be considered at an October 22 hearing.

Arguments of BBC's lawyers

"After nearly eight months of discovery, following seven depositions of BBC witnesses, and with only two months of discovery remaining, BBC has still been unable to depose — and does not even have a schedule for deposing — the most central figure in this case: the plaintiff himself," the corporation's lawyers wrote.

Trump team's reaction

In response to the filing, a representative of Trump's legal team did not explain the reason for the delay but repeated the accusations against BBC, stating that the president "is holding the broadcaster accountable for defamation and reckless election interference, just as he has held other fake mainstream media accountable for their misconduct."

The essence of the lawsuit

Trump filed the lawsuit against BBC in December 2025, accusing the broadcaster of defamation as well as fraudulent and unfair trade practices in connection with the documentary "Trump: A Second Chance." The 33-page lawsuit accuses the broadcaster of a "false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, incendiary and malicious portrayal of President Trump," calling it a "brazen attempt to interfere with and influence the 2024 US presidential election."

BBC's admission and context

BBC admitted that it edited segments of Trump's January 6, 2021 speech in a way that created the impression he was inciting violence at the Capitol. The broadcaster apologized, two senior executives resigned, but it denied defamation. It is noted that Trump restricted media access, criticized journalists and filed large-sum lawsuits: in April, a federal judge dismissed his $10 billion (€8.5 billion) lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal.