BBC asks judge to force Trump to sit for deposition as part of his $10bn lawsuit

Key Points:

• The BBC is requesting a federal judge in Florida to compel Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster, citing delays in scheduling despite prior agreements.
• Trump’s legal team initially agreed to a deposition date but later withdrew, citing “other matters of national importance,” and suggested a reschedule after the discovery deadline, prompting the BBC to seek court intervention.
• The BBC argues that after nearly eight months of discovery and multiple depositions of its witnesses, it has yet to depose Trump, the central figure in the case, and insists the court enforce deposition rules.
• Trump filed the lawsuit in December 2025 over the BBC’s editing of a Panorama documentary that altered his January 6, 2021 rally comments; the BBC has apologized for the error.
• Trump’s legal team accuses the BBC of intentionally doctoring his speech to interfere in the 2024 election and claims the lawsuit aims to hold the broadcaster accountable for defamation and election interference.