In brief
A U.S. magistrate has demanded former President Donald Trump answer a deposition about a BBC Panorama episode by 11 December, ending a brief pause from his Georgia campaign schedule. The lawsuit claims the program edited two unrelated parts of Trump’s pre‑Capitol‑riot speech to falsely suggest he urged violence. In response, the BBC apologized and argued the feature didn’t meet U.S. defamation standards, citing its unavailability in the country. The court’s order comes amid ongoing legal tactics as the case balances between defamation merits and broadcast jurisdiction.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett has issued a court order requiring former President Donald Trump to answer a deposition under oath by 11 December, ending a brief hiatus from his political schedule.
The ruling comes amid Trump’s claim that a BBC Panorama segment had edited together two unrelated parts of his pre‑Capitol‑riot speech, creating a false impression that he urged violent action. The broadcaster has since apologized and argues the program doesn’t meet U.S. defamation standards, as it was not publicly available in the country.
Trump’s legal team had previously cancelled a deposition on 16 October, citing “matters of national importance” while campaigning in Georgia. With two months of discovery left, the judge insists the deposition must take place unless the period is extended.
While the lawsuit still stands against BBC Studios, the case remains contentious, with the defendants questioning whether the defamation claim holds when the content was unavailable in the U.S. and whether the BBC had editorial control over the footage.
