Trump risks losing $10 billion BBC lawsuit if he refuses to testify, judge warns

A federal judge has issued an order for U.S. President Donald Trump to appear before him in a defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that demands he testify under oath or the case could be dropped, raising a new possibility that the president may be compelled to appear in court.

US Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett issued the order Thursday, directing Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 after the British broadcaster accused him of repeatedly delaying questioning.

But why is Trump being compelled to testify in a lawsuit he filed himself?

According to court proceedings, Trump was originally scheduled to give his deposition on October 16 but cancelled, citing matters of national importance.

BBC lawyers argued that the president instead attended political campaign activities in Georgia that day.

The broadcaster also alleged that Trump's legal team wanted to delay the testimony until January 2027, even though the evidence-gathering process was set to end on December 18.

The dispute stems from a BBC documentary that edited together separate portions of Trump's January 6, 2021, speech before his supporters stormed the US Capitol.

The editing created the misleading impression that Trump had directly encouraged violence.

The BBC subsequently apologised, while two senior executives resigned. However, the broadcaster denies that the documentary legally defamed Trump.

Trump filed the lawsuit in December 2025, seeking $5 billion each for defamation and alleged unfair trade practices.

Interestingly, the BBC is also seeking testimony from former special counsel Jack Smith, who investigated Trump's actions surrounding the Capitol attack.

Trump's lawyers oppose that request, arguing Smith lacks firsthand knowledge relevant to the dispute.

The judge also permitted the BBC to obtain Mar-a-Lago membership records as part of its examination of Trump's claims of reputational harm.

For now, the December 11 deadline remains crucial, with the court warning that noncompliance could bring sanctions, potentially including dismissal.