The BBC will face a £10 billion lawsuit from former President Donald Trump next February, after a Florida judge denied the corporation’s motion to dismiss the case or delay proceedings. The lawsuit stems from an episode of Panorama first broadcast in 2024, which Trump claims edited his speech in a way that suggested he encouraged the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021.
District Judge Roy Altman ruled against the BBC’s request to stay the merits-based discovery phase, which allows both sides to obtain evidence and documents to build their cases. The trial is now scheduled to begin on February 15 at the Wilkie D Ferguson Jr courthouse in Miami.
The BBC had argued that the Florida court lacked personal jurisdiction over the broadcaster, that the venue was improper, and that Trump had failed to state a claim. The corporation also maintained that it did not broadcast the Panorama episode in Florida, that his reputation was not materially damaged, and that U.S. freedom of speech laws protect the documentary. The BBC additionally disputed Trump’s assertion that the programme was available in the United States on the streaming service BritBox.
The controversy followed the BBC’s admission that it had edited two separate segments of Trump’s speech together, creating a misleading impression. The resulting backlash contributed to the resignation of Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News chief executive Deborah Turness. The broadcaster has apologised for the edit but continues to assert that it has no legal liability.
A BBC spokesperson stated, “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.” The outcome of the trial could have significant financial and reputational implications for the BBC, as the legal battle escalates over the depiction of Trump in international media.
