A federal judge in Florida has mandated that former President Donald Trump must provide a deposition in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11, or risk having the case dismissed. This directive was issued by U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett, following concerns raised by the BBC’s legal team regarding delays attributed to Trump.
The deposition was originally scheduled for October 16 but was canceled by Trump, who cited a “matter of national importance” as the reason. However, BBC attorney Charles Tobin later clarified to the judge that the matter in question was, in fact, a political rally and fundraiser, suggesting that Trump prioritized political engagements over his legal obligations.
In the lawsuit filed last year, Trump accused the BBC of airing a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction” of him in a documentary that edited together remarks from his speech prior to the January 6 Capitol riot. While the BBC has acknowledged the editing of Trump’s comments, it maintains that the former president was not defamed and did not suffer any damages as a result of the broadcast.
As the deadline for Trump’s deposition approaches, the case is drawing significant public interest, reflecting ongoing tensions surrounding both his legal battles and political endeavors. NBC News has reached out for further comments from the BBC, and the White House has referred inquiries to Trump’s legal team, which has yet to provide a response.
Photo credit: Saul Loeb
