LONDON (AP) — A federal judge in the U.S. has ruled that Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC will proceed to trial in February 2027. Judge Roy K. Altman of the Southern District of Florida dismissed the BBC's request to delay the proceedings.
Trump filed the lawsuit in December, targeting how the BBC edited a speech he made on January 6, 2021. The case claims $5 billion for defamation and an additional $5 billion for unfair trade practices, asserting that the edits misrepresented his call to action during the speech.
The speech occurred just before a violent mob of Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, as Congress was preparing to confirm Joe Biden’s election victory, which Trump falsely claimed was stolen.
Days prior to the 2024 presidential election, the BBC aired a documentary titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” that controversially spliced together quotes from Trump's speech, leading to accusations of misrepresentation and selective editing.
Despite the backlash, the BBC maintains that its coverage did not defame Trump and plans to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting that the court lacks jurisdiction and that Trump has not substantiated his claims sufficiently.
As the legal battle unfolds, the BBC has faced internal consequences, including the resignations of key executives in the wake of the controversy. The judge characterized the BBC's motion to postpone discovery related to its coverage as 'premature', emphasizing that it is too early in the legal proceedings for such requests.
