Trump Ordered to Answer Questions Under Oath in $10bn BBC Lawsuit
Donald Trump must answer questions under oath in the discovery stage of his $10bn lawsuit against the BBC, according to Al Jazeera. The order marks a new phase in a case that has been moving through a US federal court in Florida since late 2025.
Trump filed the lawsuit on 15 December 2025. His complaint seeks at least $5bn for alleged defamation, the legal term for damaging false statements, and another $5bn for alleged violations of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, a state consumer protection law. The claims centre on an edit of his remarks on 6 January 2021. The BBC has said it will defend itself against the suit. The Times values the claim at £7.5bn.
Discovery is the pretrial period when each side can demand documents and sworn testimony from the other. Judge Enjolique Lett has ordered Trump to make himself available for questioning by the BBC's lawyers by 11 December. The session, known as a deposition, is expected to last up to seven hours. The judge rejected an attempt by Trump's lawyers to stop the session from being filmed.
Trump's side has been given 30 days to hand over relevant documents the BBC has requested. The period for gathering evidence is currently scheduled to end on 18 December.
If Trump does not cooperate with the questioning, he could face sanctions, which are penalties imposed by a court. These could include dismissal of his lawsuit.
The BBC's efforts to gather evidence have also reached Trump's relatives. In August, the BBC reported that it had sought to subpoena members of Trump's family, meaning legal orders requiring them to provide documents and testimony.
