Former U.S. president Donald Trump could be required to give sworn testimony if his $10 billion lawsuit against BBC proceeds, according to legal sources familiar with the case. The action challenges the broadcaster’s editing of a January 6, 2021 speech featured on Panorama.
Sources said BBC lawyers are considering an aggressive defence that could expose Trump to detailed questioning about his conduct during the Capitol riot. “The moment Trump filed this case, he opened the door,” one source said, adding that the lawsuit “puts him on the stand.”
Trump filed two separate claims, each seeking $5 billion, alleging defamation and violations of trade practices. While the BBC apologised for the edit, it has refused to pay damages. A BBC spokesperson said, “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case.”
The dispute centres on Panorama’s edited version of Trump’s speech, which showed him urging supporters to “fight like hell” while omitting his instruction to protest “peacefully.” BBC lawyers have argued the programme was geo-blocked in the U.S. and did not cause demonstrable reputational harm.
Legal analysts noted the case was filed in Florida, a jurisdiction known for high-profile defamation rulings. Commentators said the litigation could trigger extensive discovery, requiring Trump to provide documents and testimony related to January 6 and the BBC broadcast.