The BBC has announced plans to ask a US court to dismiss a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Donald Trump over a controversial video edit of one of his speeches.
The lawsuit, filed in Florida last December, accuses the British public broadcaster of defamation and violating a law on business practices. Trump is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the two charges.
The BBC broadcast the disputed video in its investigative programme “Panorama” just before the 2024 US presidential election.
The footage, taken from a January 6, 2021, speech by Trump, was edited in a way that appeared to show him explicitly encouraging his supporters to attack the Capitol.
According to court documents filed on Monday, reviewed by AFP, BBC lawyers intend to argue for the case to be dismissed on the grounds of "lack of personal jurisdiction" in the federal court in Miami, where Trump resides. The BBC has until 17 March to file this request.
The lawyers argue that Trump will not be able to prove that the documentary, which aired outside the United States, caused him a legally recognisable personal harm.
Trump won re-election on 5 November 2024 following the documentary’s release, notably securing Florida by a significant margin of 13 points, surpassing his performances in the 2016 and 2020 elections, the legal filing noted. They contend this undermines the validity of his claims.
BBC Chairman Samir Shah sent a letter of apology to Trump, but this did not resolve the issue. Shah has since expressed his commitment to challenging any defamation claims.
A BBC spokesperson reaffirmed the organisation’s stance on Tuesday, stating, "As we have made clear, we will defend ourselves in this matter. We will not provide further comment on ongoing legal proceedings."
The controversy prompted the resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and BBC News Chief Deborah Turness.
Trump has previously filed or threatened lawsuits against various media organisations in the United States, some of which settled for substantial sums to resolve the disputes.
