The BBC is mounting a legal challenge against a staggering $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by US President Donald Trump, seeking to have the case thrown out of a Florida court. The broadcaster argues the venue is "improper" and that the president has failed to state a valid claim.
Core of the Legal Dispute
The lawsuit originates from a Panorama programme broadcast in 2024, which examined the events of January 6, 2021. President Trump's legal team alleges the editing of a clip from his speech that day was "false and defamatory." The edited segment showed him stating: "We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell."
Trump is pursuing damages of up to $10 billion (£7.5 billion), claiming the programme gave the false impression he encouraged supporters to storm the US Capitol building.
BBC's Grounds for Dismissal
According to court documents filed late on Monday, 13 January 2026 (UK time), the BBC will file a motion to dismiss on several key grounds:
- The corporation contends the Florida court lacks "personal jurisdiction" over it, arguing it did not create, produce, or broadcast the documentary in that state.
- It asserts the court is an "improper" venue for the case.
- The BBC will also argue that President Trump has "failed to state a claim" under US defamation law. Specifically, it claims he has not plausibly alleged the BBC acted with "actual malice," a necessary hurdle for public officials suing for defamation.
- The broadcaster disputes Trump's claim that the documentary was available in the US on streaming service BritBox.
The BBC has asked the court to pause all pre-trial discovery processes until a decision on the dismissal motion is made. A trial date has been tentatively proposed for 2027 should the case proceed.
Scandal, Apology, and Resignations
The controversy erupted in 2025 following a leaked memo from Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, which raised concerns about the Panorama episode. Shortly after, Trump threatened legal action, and his litigator, Alejandro Brito, demanded an immediate retraction.
In response, BBC chair Samir Shah apologised for an "error of judgment," accepting that the editing gave "the impression of a direct call for violent action." The fallout was severe, leading to the resignations of both director-general Tim Davie and head of BBC News Deborah Turness.
The BBC's latest legal move sets the stage for a protracted transatlantic legal battle, with the broadcaster seeking a swift end to the unprecedented $10 billion claim.
