Trump ordered to testify under oath in BBC lawsuit by December 11
A US judge has set a December deadline for Donald Trump’s deposition in his lawsuit over a Panorama speech edit, rejecting a timetable proposed by his lawyers.
A US judge ordered President Donald Trump on October 22 to give a deposition by December 11, 2026, in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The order followed complaints from the broadcaster that he had delayed answering questions in the case he brought. AFP reported that failure to attend could bring sanctions, including dismissal.
US Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett issued the order in Miami after an agreed October 16 deposition did not take place. Trump’s legal team said presidential responsibilities had prevented his attendance, while BBC lawyer Charles Tobin argued that Trump had instead prioritised campaigning in Georgia.
Trump’s lawyers disputed the suggestion that he was avoiding questioning. In a court filing, they offered dates between January 11 and January 22, 2027, according to AFP. That proposed window falls after the existing deadline for exchanging evidence.
The dispute concerns a Panorama documentary that combined separate passages from Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech before the US Capitol riot. Trump alleges that the editing falsely portrayed him as urging violence. The BBC has acknowledged the editing error and apologised, but rejects his allegation that it defamed him.
The lawsuit, filed in December 2025, seeks at least $5 billion on each of two counts. The broadcaster has asked for dismissal and disputes that the programme caused Trump compensable harm. Its apology therefore has not resolved the parties’ disagreement over legal liability.
The case is in discovery, the stage when parties exchange documents and gather testimony for possible use in court. A deposition involves answering questions under oath outside a trial, with the answers recorded. The deadline ruling concerns that evidence-gathering process rather than whether the documentary was defamatory. BBC reporting republished by The Star describes the procedure and the broadcaster’s defence.
The BBC has also argued that the documentary was not available in the United States. According to that BBC account, Trump’s lawyers acknowledged in July that they lacked evidence supporting their earlier claims of availability through several BBC services or US broadcasters. Trump subsequently agreed to drop BBC Studios from the suit.
Discovery is scheduled to end on December 18, making the timing of Trump’s testimony important to the defence’s preparation. The December 11 requirement could change if the presiding judge extends discovery. Lett said that changing the wider trial schedule was a matter for that judge, The Associated Press reported.
Lett also allowed video recording of Trump’s deposition, restricted to attorneys rather than public release, AP reported. The immediate next step is to arrange testimony within the court’s timetable, unless an extension is granted; neither the scheduling order nor the recording decision settles the underlying claims.
Sources
Primary source: BBC World. Newzly rewrites and structures source reporting for clarity; verify critical details at the original.