Florida Judge allows Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against BBC to proceed

The clips appeared to suggest he encouraged supporters to storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The error resulted in the resignations of BBC director-general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness.

US District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz in Florida denied Mr. Trump’s request to dismiss the defamation claim, finding he plausibly alleged damage to his reputation and that the BBC knew, or should have known, the clip was misleading. The ruling does not determine if Mr. Trump can prove these claims.

Mr. Trump celebrated the decision as a “huge victory” on social media, stating they would “continue fighting against, and defeating, all of those who try to deceive the American People!”

The BBC expressed surprise at the decision but affirmed respect for the court’s authority and confidence in its legal position. The broadcaster previously apologized to Mr. Trump and acknowledged the edits were misleading, while maintaining they are not liable for defamation.

The lawsuit, filed in December in Florida federal court, alleges the BBC defamed him by combining portions of his speech, including calls to march on the Capitol and “fight like hell,” while omitting a section where he advocated for peaceful protest. The edited speech appeared in Panorama shortly before the 2024 presidential election, which Mr. Trump won.

A leaked internal BBC memo referenced the edits as potential evidence of political bias, creating a public relations challenge for the broadcaster.