The BBC, Britain’s public broadcaster, is seeking the dismissal of a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit stems from a documentary aired by the BBC’s “Panorama” program, which included edited segments of Trump’s speech prior to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. The motion to dismiss was submitted to the court on Monday in the Southern District of Florida.
In its legal filing, the BBC contends that the court lacks jurisdiction to address the case and asserts that Trump’s claims of suffering damages due to the documentary are unfounded. The lawsuit, filed last month, includes one count of defamation and another alleging a violation of Florida’s trade practices law. Trump’s legal team is pursuing $5 billion in damages for each count, totaling $10 billion, according to court documents reviewed by CBS News.
The complaint, which spans 33 pages, accuses the BBC of creating “a false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction” of Trump. The documentary focused on Trump’s actions and rhetoric leading up to the riots, particularly a speech he delivered to supporters in Washington, D.C., shortly before the unrest. Trump’s lawyers argue that the BBC misrepresented his words by “splicing together” two clips from the speech, which were delivered more than 55 minutes apart. They allege that critical context was omitted, particularly Trump’s call for peace.
The BBC’s legal team countered by stating that the Florida court should dismiss the lawsuit because the documentary was neither created nor aired in Florida. They emphasize that Trump did not suffer any defamation, pointing to the fact that he was re-elected after the documentary’s airing in the UK and won Florida decisively.
The BBC also disputes a claim in Trump’s suit that the documentary was available on the streaming service BritBox in the U.S. Their legal team asserts that a review of the provided link shows the documentary was never available on that platform.
In a statement responding to the lawsuit, a BBC spokesperson said, “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
In November, the BBC issued an apology to Trump, acknowledging that the edited soundbite in the documentary created “the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action.” The organization expressed regret over the editing but maintained that there is no valid basis for a defamation claim, stating it has “no plans to rebroadcast the documentary ‘Trump: A Second Chance?’ on any BBC platforms.”
As the legal battle unfolds, both parties are preparing for what could be a significant court case with implications for media reporting and public figures’ rights. CBS News has reached out to Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, for comments regarding the BBC’s motion to dismiss.
