US President Donald Trump's lawyers have requested a federal judge to halt the discovery process in their $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, according to reports from Business Standard. The legal team filed this request in May, pending the outcome of a request to transfer such matters to a different judge. Trump's lawyers stated that Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett's prior representation of a client that was directly adverse to President Trump creates an appearance of impropriety.
Trump has accused the publicly funded broadcaster of defaming him by splicing together parts of a January 6, 2021, speech to make it appear that he directed supporters to storm the US Capitol, as reported by Business Standard. The lawsuit, filed in Florida in December, alleges the BBC violated a state law that bars deceptive and unfair trade practices. Trump is seeking damages of at least $5 billion on each of its two counts.
In its bid to ascertain the financial impact of the documentary, the BBC has subpoenaed the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, managed by Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, as the sole trustee, according to Business Standard. The trust holds the president's business interests and assets. Trump's legal team stated they sought only a brief stay until the reassignment request was decided, though it was not immediately clear when such a ruling would be made.
The documentary, first broadcast in 2024 shortly before a presidential election Trump won, featured a section where he told supporters to march on the Capitol and another, from nearly an hour later, where he said, 'Fight like hell', as reported by Business Standard. The BBC apologised to Trump for the edit, but wants his lawsuit thrown out. Trump's subsequent reelection showed the alleged defamation did not harm his reputation, the broadcaster said in court papers released in March.
