BBC Defamation Lawsuit: Judge Orders Trump Deposition by Dec. 11, Reports Say

Deposition deadline dispute

The BBC asked the judge to require Trump to appear after he canceled a deposition scheduled for Oct. 16. The broadcaster said Trump cited “matters of national importance,” according to its account.

BBC lawyers said Trump had no availability before discovery closes Dec. 18 and would instead appear in the second or third week of January. The judge has threatened sanctions if Trump does not comply with the court’s schedule.

Dispute over Smith testimony

The BBC subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith earlier this month as part of its defense. Trump’s lawyers argued that Smith is not a party to the case and should not be deposed.

Trump’s side said Smith’s testimony would repeat information in his report and earlier testimony, which it described as publicly available. BBC lawyers called Smith an authoritative source because he spent years gathering evidence on the issues.

BBC editing and lawsuit

The BBC acknowledged that filmmakers combined excerpts from Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, speech to make it appear he directly urged violence before the U.S. Capitol was stormed. The broadcaster apologized, and its head and top news executive resigned.