Trump Cancels Deposition in $10bn BBC Lawsuit

The BBC has formally requested a federal judge in Florida to compel Donald Trump to undergo a deposition in his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster. According to a Tuesday filing, Trump’s legal team had previously agreed to a 16 October session but later informed the BBC on 28 September that he was 'no longer available due to other matters of national importance' ^[1].

The BBC’s lawyers argue that the president’s refusal to proceed undermines the core process of civil litigation. They note that nearly eight months into discovery, after seven depositions of BBC witnesses, the most central figure—Trump himself—remains un-deposed ^[3]. With only two months of discovery left, the BBC claims the delay risks undermining the case’s integrity ^[1].

Trump’s team suggested he might be available in the second or third week of January, which would occur well after the deadline for completing the discovery phase, prompting the BBC to seek judicial intervention ^[2]. The broadcaster’s motion asserts that Trump, by filing the lawsuit, accepted the obligations of civil litigation, including the duty to participate in discovery ^[3].

The lawsuit stems from a 2025 Panorama documentary that edited together clips of Trump’s 6 January 2021 speech, which the BBC later apologised for, acknowledging it created a misleading impression that he encouraged violence ^[2]. Trump claims the edit defamed him and damaged his reputation and business interests, though he later narrowed his complaint to focus solely on reputational harm ^[3].

The BBC has challenged the Florida court’s jurisdiction, arguing the programme was never aired in the state, and warns the case could have a 'chilling effect' on press freedom ^[3]. A discovery hearing is scheduled for 22 October, where Judge Enjoliqué Aytch Lett will likely address the deposition dispute ^[1].

Trump has previously sought to limit disclosure of his financial records, but this appears to be a separate issue from the current deposition standoff ^[3]. The story was first reported by The Guardian and Mirror.