Trump must testify in BBC defamation case by December
A US judge ordered Trump to give a deposition in his BBC defamation case by December 11.
A federal judge has ordered Donald Trump to sit for questioning in his $14.2 billion defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation. The BBC edited and spliced together two parts of a speech Trump gave before the January 6, 2021 Capitol breach, making it appear he directly urged supporters toward violence.
The BBC admitted to the editing, apologised, and its head and top news executive resigned. Trump had a scheduled deposition on October 16 but cancelled to campaign in Georgia.
His lawyers now have until December 11 to sit for questioning or face sanctions, possibly including dismissal of his entire case.
- $14.2 billion defamation suit
- Lawsuit amount
- January 6, 2021, before Capitol breach
- Speech date
- December 11
- Testimony deadline
- October 16, Trump campaigned instead
- Cancelled deposition
Why it mattersThe deposition is crucial for Trump's $14 billion case and a major test of whether a sitting US president can be compelled to testify in court.
AustraliaAustralians follow Trump's legal battles closely; this marks the first time a sitting US president has been ordered to give evidence in a major defamation suit.
Corroborated bytheguardian.com·smh.com.au
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