Trump must face BBC defamation lawsuit deposition by Dec. 11, judge in Miami orders

Deposition deadline set

The federal judge said Trump must answer questions from BBC lawyers by Dec. 11. The broadcaster had asked the court to require him to confirm a date and appear for questioning.

Trump had been scheduled to sit for a deposition on Oct. 16. His lawyers told the BBC late the previous month that he would not be available, citing other matters of national importance.

The BBC told the court that Trump spoke at a Georgia rally that day with Republican candidates for Senate and governor, then went to Mar-a-Lago for a Republican National Committee event. The article identifies the judge as federal but does not say the judge is in Miami.

Dispute over BBC documentary

Trump alleges that the program misled viewers and falsely portrayed his remarks to supporters. After the speech, a crowd of his backers marched to the U.S. Capitol and breached the building while lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence were gathered to reaffirm the 2020 election results.

Smith testimony also at issue

Trump’s lawyers argued Smith had no personal knowledge of the speech or Trump’s state of mind when he delivered it. They also called his proposed testimony duplicative, pointing to his final investigative report and two appearances before Congress about the case.

Discovery nears its end

Discovery began in February and is scheduled to conclude Dec. 18. In a court filing, BBC lawyers said that nearly eight months into the process, they had not spoken with Trump and lacked a date for questioning.

The BBC described Trump as the central figure in the case. The deposition deadline falls seven days before discovery is set to end.