Key facts
- Donald Trump has removed BBC Studios from his defamation lawsuit against the BBC.
- The lawsuit, filed in Florida, seeks up to $10 billion over an edited speech from January 6, 2021.
- Trump alleges the BBC intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctored his speech.
- The BBC has apologized for an editing error that created a mistaken impression of Trump calling for violent action.
- The BBC argues the program does not meet defamation criteria and was not available on its US platforms.
- A trial date has been set for February 2027.
Donald Trump has dropped the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Studios, from his multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuit concerning a controversial Panorama episode, though the main case against the British Broadcasting Corporation continues. The lawsuit, filed in Florida, accuses the BBC of "intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring" a speech Trump delivered prior to the January 6, 2021 Capitol storming.
The BBC had argued that the Studios companies played no part in the documentary's creation or US broadcast. While Trump's legal team has agreed to dismiss claims against BBC Studios, they are pressing forward with the case against the BBC itself, seeking up to $10 billion.
The BBC has acknowledged an editing error that created a misleading impression of Trump's speech but maintains the program does not meet defamation standards and was not accessible on its US platforms. Trump's lawyers have contested this, arguing that a jury should decide the matter and pointing to evidence of coordinated BBC conduct directed toward the United States, including promotional posts and instructions on how to view the content.
The US government has indicated it is considering participation in the litigation. A trial date has been scheduled for February 2027, should the case proceed. Criticism of the Panorama edit surfaced in November after a leaked BBC memo, which led to the resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness.