Trump faces December deadline to testify in $10bn BBC lawsuit

A US judge has set a deadline of December 11 for President Donald Trump to testify under oath in the $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed against the BBC. The legal proceedings were triggered by the broadcaster's complaints that Trump has repeatedly refused to participate in a deposition, including the cancellation of a previously agreed date of October 16.

If Trump fails to appear by the deadline, he risks sanctions, which could include the dismissal of his lawsuit. Trump has alleged that the BBC fraudulently edited a documentary titled "Trump: A Second Chance" to portray him as inciting violence during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot after his loss in the presidential election. The crowd did indeed storm Congress in an attempt to obstruct the formal certification of Joe Biden's victory.

Despite the BBC's apology for the incident, which led to the resignation of several top executives, the broadcaster contends that its actions did not inflict any significant harm on Trump and has moved to dismiss the case. Trump's legal team argues that he has no legitimate reason not to testify, stating that on October 16, Trump was merely campaigning and engaging in partisan politics.

In their court filing, Trump's lawyers argued that the President's participation in "matters of national importance" precluded him from attending the deposition. The lawyers further stated that Trump would be able to provide testimony between January 11 and 22. Trump has a history of targeting the media, insulting reporters who ask critical questions, and attempting to ban critical outlets from the White House.

Recent legal battles have also been waged against CNN, MSNBC, and Politico. With his approval ratings hovering in the low 30 percent range and polls indicating a likely loss of control over the House of Representatives in the November 3 midterm elections, Trump faces mounting challenges as he nears the end of his final term in office.