Trump ordered to answer questions under oath in BBC lawsuit
A U.S. magistrate judge ordered Trump to sit for a deposition by Dec. 11 in his defamation case against the BBC.
TL;DR
- A U.S. magistrate judge ordered Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by Dec. 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.
- The case concerns a BBC documentary that edited together portions of Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021 speech; the broadcaster acknowledged the edits were misleading but denies defamation liability.
- The judge also ordered the Justice Department to respond by Nov. 2 about whether former special counsel Jack Smith may testify.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ordered Donald Trump to answer questions under oath by Dec. 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The order followed the BBC’s complaint that Trump had delayed a deposition during the discovery period. [1][2][3] [1] [2] [3]
The lawsuit concerns a BBC documentary that spliced together separate parts of Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021 speech. The BBC has acknowledged that the edits were misleading, while denying that it is liable for defamation. [1][2] [1] [2]
The judge warned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including dismissal of the lawsuit, unless the presiding judge changes the schedule. Discovery is scheduled to end on Dec. 18, leaving the deposition deadline before that cutoff. [1][3] [1] [3]
The court separately directed the Justice Department to respond by Nov. 2 to Jack Smith’s request for permission to testify. Whether Smith will be allowed to give evidence remains unresolved, as does the lawsuit’s eventual outcome. [1][2] [1] [2]
Why it matters
The case brings a sitting president’s media-defamation suit into formal discovery, with a court-imposed deadline and potential dismissal consequences. The order advances procedure but does not decide the merits of Trump’s claim or the BBC’s defenses.
Editor's note
BBC report cross-checked against AP and Axios. Distinguishes the deposition order from the unresolved merits and Smith testimony question.