Florida Judge Greenlights Trump's $10bn Defamation Suit Against BBC, Dismisses State Law Claim

A federal judge in Florida has given the green light for US President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to proceed. The lawsuit, filed in Florida, alleges that the BBC intentionally and maliciously doctored a speech delivered by Trump outside the Capitol on January 6, 2021. However, Judge Jeffrey Kuntz dismissed a second claim under the state's unfair trade practices law. In his ruling, Kuntz stated that whether Trump can prove these claims and establish damages will be determined at a later stage. The BBC has expressed surprise at the decision but maintains confidence in its position and plans to respond through legal channels.

The defamation lawsuit stems from an episode of Panorama that edited together two different sections of Trump's speech before the riot at the US Capitol. Trump claims that the broadcast gave a false impression that he called for violent action, a claim that the BBC has since apologized for. The broadcaster had initially argued that the program met the legal criteria for defamation and was available in the US, but later withdrew these arguments.

Judge Kuntz ordered Trump to answer questions under oath in the lawsuit by December 11, after the president cancelled a previous deposition citing matters of national importance. The BBC's lawyers argued in court that Trump prioritized campaigning in Georgia over answering their questions on the scheduled day. Earlier this year, Trump's lawyers conceded they had no evidence that the documentary was available in the US on the BBC's BritBox subscription service or on its website, BBC Select, or through US broadcasters. The BBC has since dropped BBC Studios, the broadcaster's commercial arm, from Trump's defamation lawsuit, as it argued it had no role in creating or producing the documentary.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the judge's ruling as a "huge victory." The BBC spokesperson responded by stating that they respect the Court's authority and will continue to respond through the proper legal process.