A federal judge has allowed US President Donald Trump’s multibillion-dollar defamation suit against the BBC to proceed, rejecting a bid by the British broadcaster to dismiss the case.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, hailed the judge’s ruling as “A Huge Victory. Trump has accused the BBC of deceptively editing a documentary to make it seem as if he was inciting violence when he told supporters to march on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. He has sought at least $5 billion each for one claim of defamation and a separate claim under a Florida consumer protection law.
A spokesperson for the BBC said in a brief statement that the broadcaster was “surprised by this decision” but respected the court’s authority. “We remain confident in our position and will continue to respond through the proper legal process,” the statement added. In a 40-page ruling, Kuntz wrote: “Whether President Trump can prove these claims and establish he sustained damages at summary judgment or trial is left for another day.”
US District Judge Jeffrey T Kuntz on Tuesday rejected the BBC’s bid to dismiss the defamation suit, but tossed the Florida protection law claim.
Last month, Trump faced a setback in the case when a magistrate judge ordered him to give a deposition by December 11, after the BBC claimed he was dodging their efforts to get sworn testimony.
Trump risks sanctions if he fails to attend the deposition by then, including the potential dismissal of his lawsuit, the court said.
