The BBC is set to request the dismissal of former President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit, which claims defamation and unfair trade practices linked to an edited speech broadcast in a documentary. The lawsuit, filed in December 2023 in the U.S. District Court in Florida, stems from a speech Trump delivered on January 6, 2021, prior to the violent events at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump alleges that the BBC manipulated his words in the documentary titled Trump: A Second Chance, which was released just days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The documentary reportedly combined segments from his speech given an hour apart, creating the impression that Trump urged his supporters to “fight like hell.” Notably, parts of the speech indicating a desire for peaceful demonstration were omitted.
In new court documents filed this week, the BBC announced plans to submit a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on March 17, 2024. The broadcaster asserts that the court lacks jurisdiction because it neither created nor produced the documentary in Florida. Additionally, the BBC disputes Trump’s claim that the documentary was available in the U.S. via the streaming service BritBox.
While the BBC has expressed regret over the editing of the speech, it maintains that the allegations of defamation are unfounded. The broadcaster’s lawyer, Charles Tobin, emphasized the need to postpone discovery in the case, arguing that it would impose unnecessary burdens and costs on the defendants if the motion to dismiss is granted.
Should the case proceed, a trial date has been suggested for 2027. The BBC stated, “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
The outcome of this legal battle may have implications not just for Trump, but also for media practices and the portrayal of public figures in documentary filmmaking. As the story develops, it highlights the intersection of politics, media representation, and legal accountability in contemporary America.
