US judge orders Trump to sit for deposition by 11 December in BBC lawsuit

A US federal judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The deadline for the deposition is 11 December. The lawsuit seeks $10 billion.

The Associated Press, Reuters and the South China Morning Post reported the order. Reuters credits the Associated Press for its account.

According to the South China Morning Post, the order was issued by US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett. The newspaper cited the BBC's lawyer, Charles Tobin, as saying that two months remain in the discovery period.

According to the same report, Tobin said both parties had agreed on 16 October as a date for the deposition. He said Trump had then cancelled that date.

What is disputed

The reason for the cancellation of the 16 October date is contested. According to Tobin, as cited by the South China Morning Post, Trump's side gave a "matter of national importance" as the reason. Tobin said Trump was in fact campaigning in Georgia that day. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not independently verify that statement.

What each side says

• The BBC: The broadcaster's lawyers say Trump has delayed his deposition. Reuters, citing the Associated Press, reported that the BBC accused him of stalling to avoid answering questions under oath. The South China Morning Post quoted Tobin as saying: "we still haven’t been able to depose the plaintiff".
• Trump's side: The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any direct statement from Trump, his lawyers or the White House on the order or on the BBC's allegations. The only account of their reason for cancelling the 16 October date comes from Tobin.

What the reports do not include

The reports do not describe the BBC content at the centre of the defamation claim or the legal basis of the suit. They do not identify the court or district hearing the case. They do not quote the text of the order. They do not describe what consequences, if any, the order sets out if the deadline is missed. The Associated Press and Reuters reports available to Vocemundi were brief summaries, so their full content could not be reviewed.

Analysis

The order gives the case a fixed date for testimony from the plaintiff. If the deposition takes place by 11 December, both sides would have his sworn testimony before discovery ends, assuming the two-month timeline cited by the BBC's lawyer is accurate. If it does not take place, the BBC could return to the court, but the reports do not describe what the order provides in that case. The account of why the earlier date was cancelled currently comes from one side only. A response from Trump's lawyers could change that picture. The reports may also share a single original source, which limits independent confirmation.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.