Judge directs Trump to sit for deposition in his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC

NBC News, The Guardian and MS NOW report that a federal magistrate judge in Florida, Enjoliqué Lett, has told President Donald Trump he must submit to a deposition by Dec. 11 in his $10 billion defamation suit against the BBC. Missing that date could bring penalties, potentially including dismissal of the case, according to NBC News · The Guardian.

The suit concerns a BBC documentary that stitched together portions of Trump's Jan. 6, 2021, speech. NBC News says the BBC acknowledges the splicing but denies he was defamed or suffered damages. MS NOW adds that the edit prompted an internal inquiry, firings of senior officials and a written apology. The Guardian notes that Trump's side relies on Florida's Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

An Oct. 16 session was called off for what Trump's lawyers termed other matters of national importance. BBC attorney Charles Tobin said the president was at a rally and fundraiser; The Guardian says he was campaigning in Georgia, while Trump attorney Alejandro Brito said the BBC could not know his schedule. The Guardian also reports Lett faulted Trump's document production, gave 30 days to fix it, and refused to bar videotaping of the seven-hour deposition.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NBC News · The Guardian, The Guardian and MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at NBC News · The Guardian → Also at The Guardian → Also at MS NOW →