Trump given December deadline to testify in US$10b BBC defamation suit

A US judge has ordered former President Donald Trump to testify under oath in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11, 2025, according to court documents. The case, filed in December 2025, seeks at least US$10 billion in damages from the British broadcaster. Judge Enjolique Lett in Miami issued the deadline in response to complaints from the BBC that Trump has not appeared for a deposition, including canceling a previously scheduled date of October 16.

Trump has accused the BBC of falsely editing its documentary, "Trump: A Second Chance," to suggest he incited violence on January 6, 2021, leading to the storming of the US Capitol. While the BBC has apologized for the incident, it denies causing Trump any real harm and seeks to dismiss the case. The BBC's legal team argues that Trump has no valid reason not to testify, stating that "no plaintiff is above the law."

Trump's lawyers maintain that he is not trying to avoid a deposition but is constrained by matters of national importance and can provide a deposition between January 11 and 22, 2026.