BBC Files New Motion To Dismiss Donald Trump’s $10 Billion Lawsuit, Challenges Claims Of U.S. Viewership Via VPN

The BBC is seeking to dismiss Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the network, which he filed in December 2022. The lawsuit arises from a botched edit of Trump’s speech during the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, which was aired by the BBC's Panorama program. Trump claims that the documentary aired in the United States, a point the BBC is challenging. The network's legal team argues that the lawsuit lacks merit and is working to defend itself against the claims made by Trump. In a related development, the BBC is attempting to subpoena members of Trump’s family, specifically Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner. The BBC's lawyers assert that these individuals possess "personal knowledge" of Trump’s intentions during his January 6 speech, which is central to the defamation claims. The testimony from these family members is deemed crucial for the BBC's defense in the ongoing legal proceedings. Additionally, a federal magistrate judge has ruled that Trump’s trust must provide financial documents related to his businesses to the BBC as part of the network's defense. However, the judge has limited the scope of the subpoena, indicating that there are boundaries on what financial information can be disclosed. Trump has also dropped BBC Studios from the lawsuit, narrowing the case. The trial is scheduled for next year, and reports suggest that the U.S. government is considering joining Trump’s litigation against the BBC, which could impact the proceedings.