The BBC, the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster, plans to file a motion to dismiss a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump. The case stems from a documentary aired in October 2024 that included edited segments of Trump’s speech from January 6, 2021. The motion is set to be submitted to the Southern District of Florida court, where Trump’s legal team initiated the lawsuit last month.
According to court documents, the BBC argues that the Florida court lacks jurisdiction to handle the case and contends that Trump’s claims of suffering damages are unfounded. The lawsuit includes allegations of defamation and violations of Florida trade practices law, seeking $5 billion in damages for each count, amounting to a total of $10 billion.
Details of the Lawsuit
The complaint filed by Trump’s attorneys describes the BBC’s portrayal of him as “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious.” This depiction was presented in a documentary for the BBC’s Panorama program, which aired just a week before the U.S. presidential election. The documentary focused on Trump’s actions and statements leading up to the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, and included spliced clips of a speech he delivered to supporters prior to the riots.
Trump’s team asserts that the BBC’s editing misled viewers by omitting crucial context. Specifically, they argue that two clips used in the documentary were separated by 55 minutes and excluded Trump’s call for peace during the same address. In that speech, Trump urged his supporters to march to Capitol Hill, where Congress was set to certify the electoral victory of Joe Biden.
BBC’s Response and Legal Arguments
In response, the BBC’s legal team plans to argue that the lawsuit should be dismissed because the documentary was neither created nor produced in Florida. They also maintain that the documentary did not cause any harm to Trump, noting that he was re-elected after its broadcast and won Florida decisively.
Furthermore, the BBC contends that claims made in Trump’s lawsuit regarding the documentary’s availability on the streaming service BritBox are inaccurate. They state that the documentary has never been available on BritBox, which contradicts Trump’s assertions.
“Plaintiff alleges that the documentary was available in the U.S. on the streaming service BritBox. But simply clicking on the link that Plaintiff cites for this point shows it is not on BritBox. Nor was it ever available on BritBox,”
stated the filing from the law firm Ballard Spahr, representing the BBC.
As the case unfolds, the BBC has expressed its intention to defend against the defamation claims vigorously. A spokesperson for the organization remarked, “We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.” In November 2023, the BBC issued a formal apology to Trump, acknowledging that the edited soundbite may have given “the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action.” Despite this, they firmly believe there is no basis for a defamation claim and have no plans to rebroadcast the documentary.
This legal battle highlights the ongoing tensions between media portrayal and political figures, particularly as the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches. The outcome could have significant implications for both the BBC and Trump’s public image.
