A federal judge in Florida rejected the British network's motion to dismiss the multibillion-dollar action, though he threw out a secondary claim filed under state deceptive trade practices law. The court emphasized that the ruling merely allows the defamation allegations to be tested on their merits at summary judgment or trial. The decision moves forward even though Trump's legal team previously admitted they lacked evidence showing the documentary was accessible to American audiences through platforms like BritBox or the BBC website.
Key points
The court's procedural ruling permits the defamation claim to proceed without resolving w…: The court's procedural ruling permits the defamation claim to proceed without resolving whether Trump can prove damages or actual liability.
The BBC maintains confidence in its defense despite expressing surprise at the judge's re…: The BBC maintains confidence in its defense despite expressing surprise at the judge's refusal to dismiss the lawsuit.
Trump's attorneys have narrowed the litigation by dropping BBC Studios from the action am…: Trump's attorneys have narrowed the litigation by dropping BBC Studios from the action amid jurisdictional disputes over US distribution.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Published
A federal judge in Florida has allowed US President Donald Trump's defamation case against the BBC to go ahead after the broadcaster sought to dismiss it.
But Judge Jeffrey Kuntz dismissed a second claim in the $10bn (£7.5bn) lawsuit under the state's unfair trade practices law.
The US president is suing the BBC over an episode of Panorama that edited together two different sections of a speech he gave before the riot at the US Capitol in 2021.
Trump called the judge's ruling a "huge victory" in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. A BBC spokesperson said: "We are surprised by this decision but respect the Court's authority and note the case will now proceed to the next stage."
The BBC spokesperson added: "We remain confident in our position and will continue to respond through the proper legal process."
Judge Kuntz found Trump's defamation allegations against the BBC sufficient for the case to continue, although he did not make a ruling on the merits of the case.
"Whether President Trump can prove these claims and establish he sustained…
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The ruling focuses on an edit in a documentary that merged statements delivered almost an hour apart prior to the January 6 Capitol attack. While the broadcaster previously apologized for the spliced footage, the court found the substantial time gap provided enough basis to suggest potential malice. The decision forces the British network to continue defending its editorial practices in an American courtroom ahead of a looming deposition deadline.