Judge orders Donald Trump to testify in $10 billion defamation lawsuit against BBC

A federal judge in Florida, Enzolic Let, has ordered U.S. President Donald Trump to provide sworn testimony by December 11 in a $10 billion defamation lawsuit he filed against the BBC. The court's decision follows a request from the network's legal team after Trump failed to appear for a previously scheduled deposition on October 16. While the President cited national security obligations for his absence, reports indicate he attended a campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia, and a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago on that day. The court clarified that his status as a sitting president does not exempt him from procedural requirements in a civil case he initiated himself.

The lawsuit, filed in Florida last December, stems from the BBC’s broadcast of edited segments from Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021. Trump alleges the network intentionally misled viewers by implying he encouraged supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. Although the BBC acknowledged that the editing was misleading and issued an apology, it denies that the broadcast constituted defamation. The case remains active as both parties prepare for the court-ordered deposition deadline.