The BBC has announced plans to file a motion to dismiss a $10 billion defamation lawsuit brought by former President Donald Trump. The legal action stems from a documentary aired by the BBC’s “Panorama” program, which included edited segments of Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021, the day of the Capitol riots. According to court documents submitted on Monday, the BBC contends that the court lacks jurisdiction to address the case and that Trump’s claims of damages related to the documentary are unfounded.
The lawsuit, filed last month in the Southern District of Florida, alleges one count of defamation and one count of violating Florida trade practices law. Trump’s legal team is seeking $5 billion in damages for each count, amounting to a total of $10 billion. The complaint accuses the BBC of producing a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction” of Trump.
Details of the Lawsuit and BBC’s Defense
Central to the lawsuit is the argument that the BBC’s documentary misrepresented Trump’s words and actions leading to the Capitol riots. The documentary reportedly spliced together two clips from a speech Trump delivered to his supporters just before the unrest. Trump’s team claims that this editing distorted the message, omitting his call for peace and misrepresenting the context of his statements.
The BBC’s legal representatives are preparing to challenge the lawsuit by asserting that the documentary was neither created nor aired in Florida, thus questioning the jurisdiction of the state court. Additionally, they argue that the documentary did not cause any reputational harm to Trump, noting that he was re-elected after the film was broadcast in the UK and won Florida decisively.
“Plaintiff alleges that the documentary was available in the U.S. on the streaming service BritBox. But simply clicking on the link that Plaintiff cites for this point shows it is not on BritBox. Nor was it ever available on BritBox,”
stated the BBC’s legal team, represented by the law firm Ballard Spahr.
Trump’s legal team has not substantiated claims that the documentary was produced “with actual malice,” a requirement for defamation cases. A spokesperson for the BBC indicated that while they regret the manner in which the video was edited, they maintain that there is no basis for a defamation claim.
Response from Both Parties
The BBC formally apologized to Trump in November, acknowledging that the edited clip could have given the “mistaken impression” that he called for violent action. In their statement, they reiterated their disagreement with the basis of the defamation claim and confirmed that they have no plans to rebroadcast the documentary, titled “Trump: A Second Chance?”
As the BBC prepares to file its motion to dismiss, it remains in ongoing legal discussions. CBS News has reached out to Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, for a response regarding the BBC’s latest legal strategy. The outcome of this case may have significant implications for both parties, especially in the context of media representation and political discourse.
