Trump ordered to testify under oath in US$10bil BBC lawsuit

On Thursday, a federal judge issued a ruling compelling Donald Trump to undergo a deposition by December 11 in his US$10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. According to the Associated Press, the judge, Enjolique Lett, stated that Trump must answer questions from the BBC's lawyers under oath. This ruling came about after Trump's cancellation of a deposition in October, citing conflicts with his presidential duties.

The lawsuit, filed in Florida federal court in December, alleges that the BBC intentionally misled viewers by editing a Jan 6, 2021 speech, suggesting that Trump directed supporters to storm the US Capitol. The BBC has admitted to the edits being misleading and apologized, but maintains it is not liable for defamation. In contrast, Trump's lawyers argue that the BBC's requests for Trump's records and business entity details are overly broad and irrelevant, and that Trump's duties and security needs should take priority.

The case is one of several private lawsuits Trump has filed against the media as part of a broader campaign to counter coverage he deems unfavorable.