BBC try to dismiss Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over Panorama edit | US | News
The BBC is taking legal steps to dismiss Trump’s $10 billion libel lawsuit over his Panorama edit, according to court documents. The TV division came under criticism at the end of last year for a program broadcast in 2024.
The episode brought together sections of the US President’s January 6, 2021 speech that suggested he encouraged his supporters to attack the Capitol. In the BBC’s edit, Mr Trump said: “We’re going to march on the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we’re going to fight. We’re going to fight like hell.”
Donald Trump He sued for up to $10bn (£7.5bn) in damages over the splicing of his speech after his lawyers claimed it was “false and defamatory”. The BBC filed documents late on Monday (January 12) revealing that the broadcaster would file a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the Florida court did not have “personal jurisdiction” over the case, that the courtroom was “inappropriate” and that Trump “did not make a plea”.
The collaboration will argue that Panorama was not created, produced or broadcast in Florida, and although Trump claims the show is available on the BritBox streaming service, this is false.
The BBC will also argue that Mr Trump “failed to reasonably allege” that the BBC broadcast the documentary with “actual malice”. Public officials must show this when filing a defamation lawsuit in the United States. The publisher asked the court to “stay all further discovery,” the pretrial process in which parties gather information until a decision on the motion is made.
If the case continues, the hearing will be held in 2027. The BBC had previously apologized for the edit, saying it was an “error of judgement”. The company argued that the US President’s claim had no legal basis.
A spokesman for Trump’s legal team argued that the incident was a “brazen attempt” to interfere with the presidential election. The spokesman said: “The BBC has a long pattern of deceiving its viewers by reporting on President Trump, all in the service of its own left-wing political agenda. President Trump’s strong case holds the BBC accountable for its libels and reckless election interference, just as it holds other fake news mainstream media accountable for their own wrongdoing.”
The BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, has resigned, as has the head of editing and BBC News, Deborah Turness. Davie admitted that “some mistakes had been made” and that he had to “take ultimate responsibility” when leaving office.
The PA has approached the BBC for comment.
