A Miami Judge Sets Dec. 11 for Trump to Sit Down With the BBC's Lawyers

President Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC now has a deposition deadline. At a hearing in Miami on Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ordered the president to sit for a deposition by Dec. 11. She warned that if he does not, he could face sanctions that reach as far as dismissal of his own case.

The ruling matters because it puts a date on the next major step in a case over a documentary that spliced together parts of Trump's Jan. 6, 2021 speech. The BBC acknowledged the splicing and apologized, and it denies defaming Trump. The question now is whether the case moves ahead on the court's calendar or stalls over scheduling.

According to the Associated Press report carried by PBS NewsHour, discovery is scheduled to end Dec. 18, and the sanctions warning stands unless the discovery period is extended past that date. Lett said only the presiding judge can change the trial schedule. This account is based on search-result excerpts of the coverage, not on the court order or the filings, which we have not seen.

A Canceled Date in October

The dispute began with a date that had been agreed. Trump was set to be deposed on Oct. 16. His lawyers then told the BBC, in a notice, that the president "is no longer available for his deposition on October 16 due to other matters of national importance," UPI reported.

The BBC has a different account of those matters. UPI reported that in court filings on Monday, Oct. 19, the broadcaster said they were a Georgia election rally and a Florida fundraiser. That explanation comes from the BBC's side. We saw no response to it from Trump's lawyers or the White House, and no BBC statement.

AP reported that BBC attorney Charles Tobin repeated the Georgia point at Thursday's hearing. "We still haven't been able to depose the plaintiff," he said. He added that Trump "was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition."

What Trump's Side Asked For

Trump's lawyers had asked for a deposition between Jan. 11 and Jan. 22, 2027, CNBC reported. That window falls after the scheduled Dec. 18 end of discovery.

AP reported that the BBC said it would accept a later deposition if the schedule also moved. Lett said only the presiding judge can change the trial schedule, so whether the Dec. 11 date can shift depends on that judge.

CNBC, citing Politico, also reported that Lett warned the complaint could be dismissed if Trump does not hand over relevant records the court has ordered produced. That detail is attributed to Politico and has not been confirmed independently. It is also unclear whether Lett's order was issued in writing or from the bench.

Background on the Case

The documentary at the center of the suit aired in October 2024 and dealt with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack. AP reported that the BBC acknowledged the splicing and apologized, and that the head of the BBC and its top news executive resigned. The BBC denies defaming Trump. Trump sued last December, according to AP.

UPI also noted that the documentary was not easily viewable in Florida, yet the suit claims personal damage to Trump there.

A related dispute is under way over BBC efforts to depose Jack Smith. Trump's lawyers say Smith "lacks personal knowledge," according to the AP headline carried by PBS and to MS NOW. AP also said Trump has often avoided depositions.

What Comes Next

The next moves belong to Trump's lawyers and the presiding district judge. Watch for a Trump motion to object to the order or to extend discovery past Dec. 18, which would depend on the presiding judge. A ruling on the Jack Smith deposition is also expected. The trial date and the presiding judge's name were not available in the material we reviewed. Unless the calendar changes, Dec. 11 remains the deadline.