President Donald Trump's lawyers are asking a federal judge to sanction the BBC after the broadcaster challenged his explanation for canceling a deposition in his $10 billion lawsuit, citing a campaign rally and fundraiser he attended that day.
The dispute follows a warning from U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjolique A. Lett over Trump's participation in discovery. His legal team wants to postpone questioning until January, beyond the December 18 deadline for gathering evidence, while the BBC is seeking an order compelling his testimony.
"The court has admonished plaintiff for his lack of participation to no avail," Lett wrote, according to reports. She demanded "strict compliance" with the court's order and warned that noncompliance would lead to sanctions. The order itself imposed none.
At issue is the cancellation of an October 16 deposition. According to the BBC's filings, Trump's lawyers proposed that date in July and undertook to coordinate arrangements with officials responsible for his schedule and security.
On September 28, Trump attorney Ian Corp told the broadcaster that the president was unavailable because of "other matters of national importance." Corp promised to try to provide a replacement date by the end of that week, but the BBC says none followed.
The broadcaster subsequently told the court that Trump instead addressed a rally in Dalton, Georgia, alongside Republican candidates, then traveled to Mar-a-Lago for a Republican National Committee fundraising event.
Trump's lawyers rejected the suggestion that he was evading questioning. "Defendant is wrong to claim that President Trump is avoiding his deposition in this action," they wrote in Wednesday's filing.
They cited the Iran conflict, other Middle East unrest, Russia's war against Ukraine and the "White House Accord on Super Intelligence" as demands on his attention. The filing did not explain how those matters prevented his appearance on October 16.
His lawyers also accused the BBC of misusing discovery procedures to obtain a tactical advantage and asked the judge to impose sanctions on the broadcaster. They disputed its handling of scheduling discussions.
The BBC says it has been trying to arrange Trump's testimony since July and has already presented seven of its own witnesses for depositions. It still lacks a confirmed date to question the plaintiff at the center of the case.
Trump's proposed alternative is a deposition between January 11 and January 22, 2027. His lawyers also requested limits on attendance, no video recording and an extension of discovery, saying he would not oppose postponing the trial if necessary.
The lawsuit, filed in December 2025, concerns the BBC's Panorama documentary "Trump: A Second Chance?" Trump alleges that editing separate portions of his January 6, 2021, speech together falsely suggested he encouraged violence at the Capitol.
The BBC apologized for the editing error but denies defamation. The controversy preceded the resignations of director-general Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness.
Trump seeks $5 billion for defamation and another $5 billion under Florida's unfair and deceptive trade practices law. A hearing on the deposition dispute was scheduled for October 22; the supplied reports do not establish its outcome.
