President Trump ordered into BBC deposition in $10 billion dispute over Panorama broadcast
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A federal magistrate set a Dec. 11 deadline for President Trump to provide documents and sit for a deposition in the BBC’s $10 billion lawsuit, warning that non-compliance could lead to sanctions or dismissal.
A federal magistrate judge has ordered President Donald Trump to cooperate with discovery and appear for a deposition by Dec. 11 in the BBC’s $10 billion lawsuit alleging damage from a Panorama documentary. The judge warned that failure to comply could result in sanctions, including possible dismissal of the case.
The lawsuit, filed under Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, claims the broadcast, which combined remarks from a Jan. 6, 2021 rally, harmed Trump’s reputation. During a hearing on Thursday, Judge Enjoliqué Lett rejected Trump’s request to bar video recording of the seven-hour deposition, limiting access to the attorneys involved.
BBC counsel Charles Tobin argued that Trump’s team had produced “absolutely nothing of any substance” and that the documents provided were largely sourced from the internet or supplied by the BBC itself. Judge Lett expressed doubt that a thorough search had been conducted and gave the plaintiffs 30 days to produce the requested materials, noting that non-compliance could lead to sanctions.
The judge also addressed the deposition schedule, noting that a previously set date of Oct. 16 was cancelled. Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito cited “other matters of national importance” as the reason for the cancellation. The court affirmed its authority to enforce the deposition timeline, though district judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz could adjust it.
In addition, Judge Lett allowed the BBC’s subpoena to Mar-a-Lago to proceed, finding the club “intertwined with his profession” and therefore discoverable. Brito argued that the president’s occupation is limited to his public office, while Tobin countered that the resort is used to promote his personal reputation.
Trump’s legal team indicated willingness to schedule the deposition for the second or third week of January, pending the court’s final order.