US judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in $10bn lawsuit against BBC

Key Points:

• A US judge has ordered Donald Trump to cooperate with the discovery process in his $10bn lawsuit against the BBC and to sit for a deposition by 11 December, warning that non-compliance could lead to sanctions or dismissal of the case.
• The lawsuit concerns a BBC Panorama documentary that edited Trump's January 6, 2021 rally comments, which Trump claims caused personal damage under Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act despite limited availability in Florida.
• The judge criticized Trump’s legal team for failing to produce substantial internal documents relevant to the case, giving them 30 days to comply and emphasizing this as their last opportunity to engage meaningfully in discovery.
• The court allowed the BBC’s subpoena to Mar-a-Lago, ruling that the club is connected to Trump’s professional reputation and is relevant for discovery, despite Trump's attorney arguing the club is separate from his presidential role.
• Trump’s team had previously sought to delay the deposition, citing “other matters of national importance,” but the judge insisted on adherence to the discovery schedule, though the timeline could be extended by a district court judge.