President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation suit against the British Broadcasting Corp. was set for a potential trial in February 2027, in one of several cases he’s filed since retaking the White House. The possible trial date was scheduled in an order Wednesday by US District Judge Roy K. Altman in Miami. The case will only go to trial if it survives the UK news outlet’s upcoming motion to have the case tossed out.
Trump sued the BBC over a misleading edit of his speeches in a documentary before the 2024 presidential election that gave the impression he’d made a direct call for violence before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. The BBC apologised but denies defaming Trump.
The judge on Wednesday also denied the BBC’s request to put the exchange of evidence on hold until he rules on the the news outlet’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which is due in March. The judge, a Trump appointee, said the request was premature.
A spokesman for Trump’s legal team described the evidentiary ruling as “an important legal victory for America, as President Trump continues hold the BBC, and all those who traffic in fake news accountable for their unlawful and disgraceful actions.”
The BBC declined to comment on the ruling, but reiterated that it “will be defending this case.”
The BBC said in a January filing that it will argue in its motion to dismiss the case that that the documentary at the center of the dispute was fair despite a misleading edit of one segment.
The BBC said will also argue that Trump‘s suit fails to meet the high bar necessary for alleging defamation against a public figure. The standard requires a showing of “actual malice,” meaning the allegedly defamatory statement was made intentionally or with a reckless disregard for the truth.
The judge, a Trump appointee, also ordered the president and the BBC to participate in a mediation process by Nov. 3.
ALSO READ: Donald Trump To Meet Xi Jinping In China In April
Essential Business Intelligence,
Continuous LIVE TV,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice and
Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
