BBC moves to dismiss Trump’s $10 billion defamation suit
The BBC is seeking to dismiss U.S. President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit over edited clips of his January 6, 2021, speech that critics say made it appear he directed supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol.
In a court filing Monday, the broadcaster argued that a Florida court lacks jurisdiction because the program was not broadcast in the state. It also said Trump cannot prove damages, noting he was re-elected after the clips aired, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Trump alleges that the BBC defamed him by splicing parts of his speech—where he told supporters to “march on the Capitol” and “fight like hell”—while omitting sections calling for peaceful protest. The lawsuit cites Florida law prohibiting deceptive and unfair trade practices, seeking at least $5 billion in damages per count.
The BBC has apologized for the editing, which appeared on its Panorama documentary, but said it would defend the case. The filing states that Trump cannot credibly claim the documentary was published with “actual malice” and asked the court to stay the discovery phase, arguing that proceeding before the motion is ruled on would impose unnecessary costs and burdens.
Funded by a mandatory license fee, the BBC emphasized that Trump’s claims of “harm to his professional and occupational interests” are too vague to constitute actual damages, further supporting dismissal of the case.
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