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Judge Orders Trump to Answer Questions Under Oath in BBC Lawsuit
· Confirmed
In Short: A federal judge has ordered US President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath by December 11, 2026, in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, or face possible sanctions including dismissal of the case.
A federal judge has ordered US President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath by December 11, 2026, in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and fish4news.co.uk (United Kingdom). Both outlets reported that Trump must cooperate in the discovery stage of the lawsuit or risk having the case dismissed.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported that Trump had initially agreed to be questioned on October 16 but his lawyers canceled that date, citing a matter of national importance. Fish4news.co.uk (United Kingdom) did not mention the cancellation but confirmed that the process is scheduled to end on December 18.
At a hearing on Thursday, October 22, 2026, BBC lawyer Charles Tobin argued that waiting until January would push the questioning beyond the existing deadline for gathering evidence. Al Jazeera (Qatar) and fish4news.co.uk (United Kingdom) both reported Tobin's statement, emphasizing the imbalance in the discovery process.
The judge, Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett, warned that Trump could face sanctions, including dismissal of his lawsuit, if he fails to cooperate with questioning. Al Jazeera (Qatar) and fish4news.co.uk (United Kingdom) both highlighted this potential consequence.
Separately, the judge gave Trump’s side 30 days to hand over relevant documents requested by the BBC, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar). This additional requirement underscores the comprehensive nature of the discovery process.
The lawsuit stems from Trump's claim that the BBC defamed him in a documentary series. Al Jazeera (Qatar) and fish4news.co.uk (United Kingdom) both reported that the case has been ongoing and that this ruling marks a significant development in the legal proceedings.
Trump's legal team sought to postpone questioning until January, but the judge rejected this request. Al Jazeera (Qatar) and fish4news.co.uk (United Kingdom) both noted the judge's decision to set a firm deadline of December 11, 2026.
Background
A federal judge has ordered US President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath in the discovery stage of his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11, 2026, or risk having the case dismissed, according to Al Jazeera.
What's confirmed
- United States President Donald Trump must answer questions under oath in the discovery stage of his $10bn lawsuit against the BBC, a federal judge has ruled, warning that failure to cooperate could lead to the dismissal of his case.
- At Thursday’s hearing, BBC lawyer Charles Tobin said Trump had instead been campaigning in Georgia and asked the court to compel Trump to attend the deposition sooner, arguing that waiting until January would push the questioning beyond the existing deadline for gathering evidence.
- A US judge has ordered Donald Trump to answer questions under oath in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by 11 December.
- U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, United States, on October 2, 2026. [Kyle Mazza – Anadolu Agency] A federal judge in Florida has ordered US President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath by Dec. 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC, or risk having the case dismissed, Anadolu reports.
- On Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ordered Trump to sit for a deposition by Dec. 11 or face possible sanctions, up to dismissal of his lawsuit.
What's still developing
- A deposition is a formal interview under oath, usually conducted outside the courtroom before a trial.
- If the President does not sit for a deposition under oath by Dec. 11, the most extreme outcome might include the dismissal of the entire suit.
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