In brief
A U.S. judge has ordered former President Donald Trump to provide deposition testimony under oath in his lawsuit against the BBC. The case stems from a Panorama episode that edited together parts of Trump’s post‑Capitol speech, creating the false impression he urged violence. Trump canceled a previous deposition citing “matters of national importance,” but the court demands compliance by 11 December unless discovery is extended. The BBC has apologized, arguing the broadcast was misleading and not available in the United States.
A U.S. judge has mandated former President Donald Trump to provide deposition testimony under oath concerning his lawsuit against the BBC, setting a deadline of 11 December.
Trump’s lawsuit claims the BBC’s Panorama programme manipulated footage from his speech outside the U.S. Capitol on 6 January 2021, falsely implying he urged violent action. The broadcaster later apologized, acknowledging the edit was a mistake.
The court noted that Trump postponed a scheduled deposition on 16 October, citing “matters of national importance” while campaigning in Georgia. His lawyers now seek to compel him to sit for the interview before discovery concludes.
Trump also argued that the programme was not available in the United States, and the BBC has requested dismissal of the case. The suit was filed in Florida.
After agreeing that the BBC’s commercial arm had no role in producing the documentary, Trump dropped the claim against BBC Studios.
