A federal judge in the United States has ordered President Donald Trump to sit for sworn questioning by the BBC's lawyers by December 11, in a $10bn defamation case that turns on how a January 6 speech was cut together in a documentary. The dispute reaches back to a day when a crowd, stirred by claims of a stolen election, broke into the Capitol, and it now asks whether a sitting president must answer for the words that were shown to the world. Whether he appears, and whether the court's threat of sanctions is ever tested, will show how far the ordinary duties of a litigant reach into the high
Judge Orders Trump to Sit for Deposition in $10bn BBC Defamation Lawsuit
He was participating in party politics and prioritised that over sitting for the deposition
Mark
Why does a scheduling order matter in a case this big?
Mimi
Because a deposition puts the plaintiff under oath, facing the other side's lawyers. Trump sued the BBC, so he has to answer questions about his own claims.
Luke
Worth being exact: the ruling sets a deadline and warns of sanctions. It doesn't say what he'll be asked or that sanctions will follow.
Mark
What happened with the October 16 date?
Mimi
He cancelled, citing a "matter of national importance." The BBC's lawyer, Charles Tobin, said he was campaigning in Georgia that day.
Luke
That's Tobin's account, and he's the opposing counsel. The source doesn't give a response from Trump's side on that point.
Mark
What is the dispute over the documentary itself?
Mimi
The BBC admits its filmmakers spliced different parts of the January 6 speech together. Its leadership resigned and it apologized, yet it denies defamation.
Luke
So the editing isn't contested, but whether it amounts to defamation is. That question is still open.
Mark
And the wider picture?
Mimi
Suits against the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times and Penguin Random House, and press advocates who are alarmed by the pattern.
Luke
That concern is the advocates' view. What's confirmed is the cases exist and their dollar demands.
Der Puls
- A judge has set a hard deadline of December 11 for the president to answer questions under oath, with dismissal of his suit hanging over any delay.
- A cancelled October 16 deposition, which Trump blamed on a 'matter of national importance' while the BBC says he was campaigning in Georgia, has sharpened the dispute.
- The BBC has admitted its filmmakers spliced segments of the January 6 speech, and its director-general and top news chief have resigned, yet the network still contests the defamation claims.
- The case sits within a wider run of suits against news outlets, from The Wall Street Journal to The New York Times, that press advocates say is building pressure on journalism.
- The outcome now depends on whether the president appears before the deadline or the court's warning about sanctions is put to the test.
A federal judge in the United States has ordered President Donald Trump to sit for sworn questioning by the BBC's lawyers by December 11, in a $10bn defamation case that turns on how a January 6 speech was cut together in a documentary. The dispute reaches back to a day when a crowd, stirred by claims of a stolen election, broke into the Capitol, and it now asks whether a sitting president must answer for the words that were shown to the world. Whether he appears, and whether the court's threat of sanctions is ever tested, will show how far the ordinary duties of a litigant reach into the highest office.
On Thursday, US magistrate judge Enjolique Lett ruled that President Donald Trump must sit for a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC. He must answer questions under oath from the broadcaster's lawyers no later than December 11, or face sanctions that could include dismissal of the suit.
This is not the first date that was set. Trump was scheduled to be deposed on October 16 but cancelled, citing a "matter of national importance." BBC lawyer Charles Tobin told the court that the president was campaigning in Georgia that day and had put party politics ahead of the deposition.
The suit centers on the BBC documentary Trump: A Second Chance, which includes clips of his January 6, 2021 speech, the day supporters attacked the Capitol. Trump says one clip was edited to make it seem he urged the crowd to storm the building. The BBC has acknowledged that its filmmakers spliced together different parts of the speech, and its director-general and top news executive resigned. The network still denies the defamation claims and is contesting the suit.
Trump maintains he never called for violence to block the peaceful transfer of power. The broader record includes his Ellipse rally, his repeated claims of a rigged election, and his urging supporters to "fight like hell." The BBC case is one of several suits he has brought against news organizations, and press freedom advocates see the run of litigation as an effort to shape coverage. What comes next is whether he appears by December 11, or whether the court's warning is tested.
On Thursday, a US magistrate judge, Enjolique Lett, ruled that President Donald Trump must sit for a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC. He will have to answer questions under oath from the broadcaster's lawyers, and the session must happen no later than December 11. If it does not, he could face sanctions, up to and including dismissal of the suit.
This was not the first date set. Trump had been scheduled to be deposed on October 16 but cancelled, citing a "matter of national importance." Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the BBC, told the court a different story: that the president was campaigning in Georgia that day. In Tobin's words, Trump was taking part in party politics and put that ahead of the deposition.
The lawsuit centers on a BBC documentary titled Trump: A Second Chance. It includes clips of the speech Trump gave on January 6, 2021, the day his supporters later attacked the US Capitol. Trump says one clip was edited in a misleading way, making it appear that he encouraged the crowd to storm the building, where legislators were certifying his 2020 election defeat.
The BBC has acknowledged that its filmmakers spliced together different segments of the speech. The head of the BBC and its top news executive both resigned, and the outlet issued an apology. But the network has denied the defamation claims and is contesting the suit.
Trump maintains that he never told supporters to commit violence to block the peaceful transfer of power. The record around that day is part of the backdrop. He gathered supporters at the Ellipse outside the White House and repeated unsubstantiated claims that the election had been rigged. He told them to "fight like hell" and refused to concede what he falsely described as an election stolen through fraud. He has long promoted the false claim that his 2020 loss resulted from rigging.
Trump and his allies ran a multifaceted effort to stay in power, including the alleged recruitment of "false electors" to cast fraudulent Electoral College votes for him. He later faced federal charges of attempting to overturn the election, which were dropped after his 2024 re-election. A separate Georgia state case accused him of a criminal conspiracy to subvert the result; it was dismissed in November 2025 after a replacement prosecutor took over following the disqualification of Fani Willis, who had brought the charges. A congressional probe concluded that he was reluctant to call on his supporters to stand down once they stormed the Capitol.
The BBC case is one of several suits Trump has brought against news organizations over coverage he dislikes or considers unfair. He refiled a $10bn defamation suit against The Wall Street Journal in May after an earlier version was dismissed. Another case seeks $15bn from The New York Times and Penguin Random House. Press freedom advocates have been alarmed by this run of litigation, arguing that the president often uses government pressure and legal threats to shape coverage in his favor.
What to watch now is whether Trump appears by December 11, or whether the court's warning about sanctions is tested.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
He was participating in party politics and prioritised that over sitting for the deposition.— Charles Tobin, BBC lawyer
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