BBC Urges Court to Compel Trump to Testify in Lawsuit

WHO:

Alternet - President Donald Trump, BBC, Charles D. Tobin (BBC attorney)

ABC News - President Donald Trump, BBC, filmmakers of "Trump: A Second Chance"

WHAT:

Alternet - Trump is delaying a deposition in his lawsuit against the BBC, seeking $10 billion in damages for defamation and deceptive trade practices.

ABC News - Trump filed a lawsuit against the BBC last December, accusing the broadcaster of defamation and unfair trade practices related to the documentary "Trump: A Second Chance."

ABC News - The BBC's legal team is asking a Florida court to compel Trump to appear for a deposition in the case.

WHERE:

ABC News - The legal proceedings are taking place in Florida.

WHEN:

Alternet - Trump proposed to delay his deposition until January 2027.

Alternet - The initial proposed date for the deposition was in July, later settled on October 16.

ABC News - Discovery is set to close on December 18.

ABC News - Trump indicated he would be available for deposition in the second or third week of January 2027.

WHY:

Alternet - Trump canceled the deposition due to "matters of national importance."

ABC News - The BBC claims Trump's delays have flouted the cooperative spirit of discovery and hindered their ability to obtain necessary evidence.

HOW:

Alternet - The BBC's legal team has filed a motion to compel Trump to sit for the deposition sooner than the proposed date.

ABC News - The BBC's lawyers stated they first requested deposition dates in July and followed up repeatedly before agreeing on October 16.

(UPDATED October 15, 2026 21:02 UTC)

President Trump is seeking to delay a deposition in his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC, which he filed last December, accusing the broadcaster of defamation and unfair trade practices related to the documentary "Trump: A Second Chance." The BBC's legal team is pushing a Florida court to compel Trump to appear for the deposition, which he has proposed to postpone until January 2027, citing "matters of national importance" as his reason for the delay. Discovery in the case is set to close on December 18, and the BBC claims Trump's delays have disrupted the cooperative spirit of the legal process.