US judge sets deadline for Trump to give testimony in BBC lawsuit
A federal judge in Miami, Angelique Leta, has set a deadline of 11 December for US President Donald Trump to testify under oath in his lawsuit against the British broadcaster BBC. The BBC had complained that Trump was refusing to testify.
US judge Angelique Leta, who is hearing the case in Miami, on Thursday set a deadline of 11 December for President Donald Trump to give sworn testimony in his own lawsuit against the British broadcaster BBC. The case is a civil claim in which the US leader is seeking damages from the broadcaster.
The order followed complaints from the BBC that Trump had refused to testify, including on a previously agreed date, 16 October.
What the case is about
Trump accuses the BBC of misleadingly editing the documentary "Trump: A Second Chance". In his view, the editing created the impression that he had incited violence on 6 January 2021, when, after losing the presidential election, he urged supporters to march to the US Capitol. On that day a crowd stormed Congress while trying to stop the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory.
Trump filed the lawsuit in December 2025. On two counts he demands at least five billion dollars on each.
The BBC has apologised for the incident, which led to the resignation of several senior executives. However, the broadcaster denies causing Trump any real harm and has asked the court to dismiss the case.
Arguments of the parties
BBC lawyer Charles Tobin told the court that Trump has no real excuse not to testify, stressing that "no plaintiff is above the law".
In a document filed with the court on Wednesday, Trump's legal team argued that the president is not trying to avoid giving testimony, but that his availability is restricted by "matters of national importance". His lawyers said Trump could testify between 11 and 22 January.
