A US federal judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, which accuses him of stalling to avoid answering questions under oath, Dawn and The Express Tribune reported, citing the Associated Press.
US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett ruled from the bench at a court hearing that Trump must take questions from the BBC’s lawyers under oath.
The cancelled deposition
Trump was originally due to give his deposition on October 16 but cancelled, citing conflicts with his presidential duties, Geo News reported. The BBC’s lawyers argued that he attended political campaign events in Georgia that day instead.
The broadcaster also said Trump’s legal team wanted to delay his testimony until January 2027, even though the evidence-gathering stage is due to end on December 18.
Trump’s lawyers have denied in court filings that he is avoiding a deposition, saying his duties and security needs must come first.
The edited speech
Trump filed the lawsuit in December 2025 in a Florida federal court. It accuses the BBC of misleading viewers into thinking he directed supporters to storm the US Capitol, by splicing together different parts of his January 6, 2021 speech.
The footage appeared in a BBC Panorama documentary shortly before the 2024 US presidential election, the Tribune reported. A leaked internal BBC memo that highlighted the edits as evidence of possible political bias triggered a crisis at the broadcaster, and two senior executives resigned.
The BBC admitted the edits were misleading and apologised to Trump, but denies it is liable for defamation. Trump is seeking $5 billion each for defamation and alleged unfair trade practices, Geo News reported.
The fight over evidence
The BBC accuses Trump and his lawyers of dragging their feet over requests for records and other information exchanged in the pre-trial process known as discovery.
- Mar-a-Lago records: The broadcaster is seeking financial records from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club and the business entities linked to him, saying it needs them to answer his damages claims. The judge allowed the BBC to obtain Mar-a-Lago membership records.
- Jack Smith: The BBC is also seeking testimony from former special counsel Jack Smith, who investigated Trump’s actions around the Capitol attack. Trump’s lawyers oppose this, arguing Smith has no first-hand knowledge relevant to the case.
- Trump’s objection: His lawyers say the BBC’s requests are too broad and irrelevant.
What happens next
The December 11 deadline is now crucial. The court warned that failing to comply could bring sanctions, potentially including dismissal of the case, Geo News reported.
The case is one of several Trump has filed against the news media as part of a wider pressure campaign against coverage he dislikes, Dawn reported.
The order raises the possibility that a sitting president will be compelled to answer questions under oath in a civil case, Geo News reported.
The ruling comes as Trump campaigns for his party ahead of the US midterm elections on November 3.
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