Donald Trump's legal team has rejected a request by the BBC to disclose 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 evidence to support claims of reputational and financial harm from a Panorama documentary.
The documentary, broadcast in October 2024, focused on the US Capitol riots and spliced together two parts of a speech Trump gave on 6 January 2021. The BBC later retracted the clip and apologised, saying it would not be shown again. Trump alleged the broadcaster 'intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctored' his words.
According to court documents filed in Miami, Florida, the BBC requested financial papers from the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, which holds the president's business interests. Lawyers asked for records showing income, assets, and properties, listing hundreds of companies under the trust. Trump's lawyers, Brito PLLC, called the request 'disproportionate' and said it encompassed entities with no connection to the dispute, adding that the 30-day timeframe for producing 'tens of thousands of documents' was 'unreasonable and improper'.
Filings from May show Trump's team made 503 document requests, and the BBC turned over 45,000 pages, while Trump produced none. The BBC has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing it would have a 'chilling effect' on reporting and that the court lacks jurisdiction since the documentary was not broadcast in the US or Florida. The dismissal claim is ongoing.
In a statement, a Trump spokesperson said the BBC 'intentionally and maliciously defamed' the president and that 'no amount of attempted legal manoeuvres can change that fact'. The Financial Times reported that Trump's team also sought to delay the case and requested a change of judge.
