Judge Orders Trump to Testify Under Oath in BBC Defamation Case by December 11

A U.S. judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump must provide sworn testimony in his ongoing defamation lawsuit against the BBC no later than December 11.

The lawsuit stems from a BBC Panorama documentary that Trump alleges misrepresented excerpts from a speech he delivered prior to the January 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump claims the editing gave the false impression that he directly incited violence.

Trump previously canceled a scheduled deposition on October 16, citing “matters of national importance.” However, BBC attorneys argued in court that Trump was simultaneously campaigning in Georgia and chose to prioritize political activities over legal obligations.

The case is currently in the discovery phase, during which both parties exchange relevant documents and evidence. Charles Tobin, representing the BBC, informed the court in Miami that Trump had yet to complete a deposition despite the discovery period nearing its midpoint.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ruled that Trump must sit for the deposition by the December 11 deadline, unless the court agrees to extend the discovery timeline.

In the U.S. legal system, depositions involve sworn testimony provided outside of court, typically in a lawyer’s office and recorded by a court reporter. These transcripts may later be used as evidence during trial proceedings.

Following Trump’s absence from a previously scheduled deposition—during which he attended a campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia, and a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago—BBC lawyers requested that the court compel his appearance. Last week, Trump’s legal team proposed new dates between January 11 and January 22, asserting that accusations of avoidance were unfounded.

Filed in Florida, Trump’s lawsuit contends that the BBC “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctored” his January 6 speech. The BBC issued an apology for the editing error, acknowledging that the broadcast created a misleading impression of Trump calling for violent action.

The broadcaster has since sought dismissal of the lawsuit, arguing that the program does not meet the legal standards for defamation and was not distributed within the United States. In July, Trump’s lawyers admitted they lacked evidence that the documentary appeared on BritBox, the BBC website, BBC Select, or through U.S. broadcasters—as initially claimed.

After these concessions, Trump agreed to discontinue legal action against BBC Studios, the broadcaster’s commercial division, following the BBC’s argument that it played no role in producing the documentary.

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