Judge Orders Trump to Give Deposition in BBC Defamation Case by December 11
A federal judge has ordered U.S. President Donald Trump to testify under oath by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett issued the order during a hearing on October 22, warning that Trump could face sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit, if he fails to comply. The deadline could change if the discovery period is extended beyond December 18.
Discovery is the stage of a lawsuit during which both sides exchange documents, evidence and other relevant information. The current discovery period is scheduled to conclude on December 18, and the BBC’s legal team wants to question Trump before that deadline.
Trump filed the lawsuit in late 2025, accusing the BBC of defamation over an edited video that combined separate clips of his remarks made before the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. He is seeking $10 billion in damages.
Trump was originally scheduled to give his deposition on October 16. However, his lawyers canceled the session, citing matters of national importance, including the war in Iran and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
BBC attorney Charles Tobin challenged that explanation, noting that Trump had been campaigning in Georgia on the scheduled deposition date.
“He was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition,” Tobin said.
The BBC’s lawyers have repeatedly expressed frustration over their inability to secure a date for Trump’s testimony.
In a court filing, they argued that nearly eight months into the discovery process, after taking depositions from seven BBC witnesses, they still had no confirmed schedule for questioning Trump, whom they described as the central figure in the case. With only two months of discovery remaining, they said the delay was becoming increasingly problematic.
Court documents indicate that the BBC has offered to accommodate Trump by conducting the deposition at a location of his choice and following any security procedures required by the U.S. Secret Service.
Before the hearing, Trump’s lawyers urged the judge not to impose a fixed deposition date, arguing that arrangements for a sitting president must account for his official responsibilities and security requirements.
They cited previous instances in which presidents provided testimony at the White House or other locations arranged around their protective details. According to the lawyers, the timing of such testimony was determined to accommodate presidential duties rather than the convenience of the opposing party.
“ That is all President Trump seeks here: a date within a defined window and a setting that the Secret Service can secure,” the lawyers wrote, arguing that the court should not treat the president like an ordinary witness without considering the special circumstances of his office.
Trump’s legal team said he was unavailable for a deposition during the remainder of 2026 but could testify between January 11 and January 22, 2027.
The lawyers added that Trump would consult with the BBC as those dates approached and confirm a specific date so the necessary arrangements could be finalized.
The judge’s order sets a firm deadline for Trump’s deposition, although the timing could still be affected by any extension of the discovery period.