Donald Trump's legal team has rejected a request by the BBC to provide financial information as part of his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster. The US president's lawyers accused the BBC of a 'fishing expedition' after it sought details to support Trump's claims of reputational and financial harm from a Panorama documentary about the US Capitol riots.
The BBC had asked for records from the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, which holds Trump's business interests, including income, assets and properties. Trump's lawyers argued the request was 'disproportionate' and would require producing 'tens of thousands of documents' within 30 days, calling the timeframe 'unreasonable and improper'.
The dispute stems from a Panorama documentary broadcast in October 2024, which spliced together two parts of a speech Trump gave on 6 January 2021. The clip suggested Trump told the crowd: 'We're going to walk down to the Capitol and I'll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.' The BBC later retracted the clip and apologised.
Trump's lawyers argue the documentary caused 'direct harm' to his 'brand, properties and business'. The BBC has asked a US court to throw out the lawsuit, arguing it would have a 'chilling effect' on reporting and that the court lacks jurisdiction as the programme was not broadcast in the US or Florida. The dismissal claim is ongoing.
Court filings show Trump's team has made 503 requests for documents, while the BBC has turned over 45,000 pages. Trump has produced none. The Financial Times reported that Trump's team has also attempted to delay the case and requested a change of judge.
