The BBC is moving to have Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit related to a Panorama program dismissed, as revealed in court filings. Last year, the program faced backlash for a segment aired in 2024.
The contentious clip suggested that the former US President encouraged his followers to breach the Capitol in 2021. By piecing together excerpts from Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021, the episode portrayed him saying, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”
Trump is seeking damages amounting to $10 billion for the alleged misrepresentation of his speech, deeming it “false and defamatory.” In response, the BBC has submitted documents contesting the jurisdiction of the Florida court, arguing against the validity of the venue and the validity of Trump’s claims.
The BBC asserts that the documentary was not created, produced, or broadcast in Florida, despite claims that it was available on the streaming platform BritBox. Additionally, the BBC challenges Trump’s assertion that they acted with “actual malice,” a standard required for defamation suits involving public figures in the US.
A potential trial date for 2027 has been suggested if the case proceeds. Trump previously announced his intention to sue the BBC, accusing them of fabricating statements attributed to him. While the BBC apologized for the error in editing, Trump’s legal team condemned it as a deliberate attempt to influence the election.
The fallout from the Panorama edit led to the resignations of Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, and Deborah Turness, the head of BBC News. Davie acknowledged errors and took responsibility before stepping down.
Requests for comments have been made to the BBC by Press Association.
