MIAMI, Florida — President Donald Trump must sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation, a federal magistrate judge ordered Thursday.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett said Trump could face sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit, if he does not comply—unless the presiding judge extends the discovery schedule. Discovery is currently set to close December 18.
The order does not decide whether the BBC defamed Trump or resolve the broadcaster’s pending effort to dismiss the case.
Trump filed suit in December 2025 over a 2024 Panorama documentary that combined separate portions of his January 6, 2021, speech. His complaint alleges the edit falsely made it appear that he directly encouraged violence at the U.S. Capitol. Those claims remain allegations. The BBC has apologized for the edit and acknowledged that it created a misleading impression, while denying that it is legally liable for defamation.
According to the Associated Press, Trump had been scheduled for a deposition October 16 but canceled, citing matters of national importance. The BBC’s lawyers asked the court to compel his appearance. Reuters independently reported the order and said representatives for Trump’s legal team and the BBC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The ruling is immediately significant for the media industry because it requires the plaintiff in a high-value case against a major broadcaster to provide sworn testimony on a fixed timetable. The exact deposition date and location remain unresolved, as does whether the case schedule will be extended.