Trump defamation suit against BBC moves forward
A federal judge in Florida permitted the $10 billion claim over edited January 6 footage to continue while dismissing a separate trade practices argument.
By Zoe Harrison ·
President Donald Trump will proceed with his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC after a federal judge in Florida ruled Tuesday that the core claims have merit. The decision allows the dispute over a misleading edit of Trump's January 6, 2021, speech to advance in court. The judge simultaneously dismissed a separate claim that accused the broadcaster of unfair trade practices.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz determined that Trump plausibly alleged harm to his reputation. Kuntz found that the BBC knew or should have known its presentation of the speech was misleading. The ruling does not establish that Trump has proved these allegations or that the broadcaster is liable for defamation.
The lawsuit centers on how the BBC combined separate passages of Trump's address for a documentary. Trump alleges the edit made it appear he instructed supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. The complaint, filed in December in federal court in Florida, argues the broadcaster joined a passage urging supporters to march with another in which he told them to fight like hell.
The version shown by the broadcaster excluded a section where Trump called for peaceful protest. The footage appeared in a segment on the BBC's Panorama program shortly before the 2024 presidential election. Trump won that race. A leaked internal BBC memo later pointed to the editing as an example of possible political bias, triggering a public relations crisis and resignations at senior levels.
The BBC has acknowledged that the edits were misleading and has apologized to Trump. The organization nevertheless denies liability for defamation. A BBC spokesperson said on Tuesday that the organization was surprised by the decision. The spokesperson stated that the BBC respected the court's authority and remained confident in its position.
Trump welcomed the ruling in a social media post, describing it as a huge victory. He pledged to continue his fight against those he accused of deceiving the American public. The litigation is part of a series of cases Trump has brought against news organizations over coverage he dislikes. The Tuesday decision leaves the defamation allegations pending while removing the unfair trade practices claim from the case.
