A federal judge in Miami on Thursday ordered President Trump to cooperate with evidence-sharing in his lawsuit against the BBC. She also ordered him to sit for a deposition by Dec. 11. A deposition is sworn questioning by the other side's lawyers, outside a trial. 1
Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett warned that if Trump's team does not comply, he could face sanctions. Those include possible dismissal of the $10 billion suit. 1
What the judge ordered
Lett gave Trump's side 30 days to turn over the relevant documents. She rejected a request to bar video recording of the seven-hour deposition. The video will be available only to attorneys in the case. 1
The judge agreed with the BBC that Trump's team had not been forthcoming. The documents it had turned over were mostly pulled from the internet or provided by the BBC itself. 1
We still have a completely lopsided [situation] here on discovery. They have produced absolutely nothing of any substance,
Lett told Trump's Florida attorney, Alejandro Brito, that the court was not satisfied anyone was doing a thorough job. She said of the discovery obligations: "This is the last opportunity to do so." 1
A canceled date
The BBC had asked the court to force the deposition after a date set for Oct. 16 was canceled. Trump's lawyers cited "other matters of national importance." The BBC argued he was campaigning in Georgia that day. Brito said the president was "involved in a host of things" the BBC's lawyers know nothing about. 1
According to the Associated Press, the BBC said Trump's team later claimed he had no availability before discovery closes on Dec. 18. The team offered the second or third week of January instead. 2
Lett said she must follow the schedule in place. District Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz could extend it. BBC attorney Charles Tobin said his side would agree to push back the deposition if Kuntz changes the schedule. 1
The lawsuit
Trump filed the suit in December 2025. He accuses the BBC of defamation and of deceptive and unfair trade practices over a documentary that spliced together quotes from different parts of his Jan. 6, 2021, speech. 2
His team argues he was personally harmed under Florida's Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, even though the broadcast was not readily available to view in Florida. 1
The BBC has admitted the edit was misleading and apologized to Trump. Its director-general and top news executive both resigned. The broadcaster denies it defamed him. 2
What happens next
Trump's side has 30 days to produce documents. The deposition is due by Dec. 11, unless Kuntz changes the schedule. 1
The AP noted that in 2023 Trump dropped a $500 million lawsuit against his former lawyer Michael Cohen, days before he was due to be deposed in that case. 2
That matters because a plaintiff who sues for damages generally has to answer questions about those claims under oath. Trump chose to bring this case. The judge has now told his team it must take part in the process or risk losing it. 1
The Record
- Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC over a documentary that edited his Jan. 6, 2021, speech (AP says December 2025) 2
- A previously agreed deposition date was canceled; Trump's lawyers cited 'other matters of national importance' 1
- Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ordered Trump to sit for a deposition by Dec. 11 and warned of sanctions, including dismissal 1
Sources
- The Guardian, “US judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in $10bn lawsuit against BBC” (2026-10-22). theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/22/trump-bbc-lawsuit-deposi
- AP, “BBC asks judge to force Trump to sit for deposition in his own lawsuit against the channel” (2026-10-15). abcnews.com/Business/wireStory/bbc-asks-judge-force-trump-si
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