❓WHAT HAPPENED: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has filed a motion to dismiss President Donald J. Trump’s lawsuit over how his January 6, 2021, speech was manipulated in a Panorama documentary.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump and the BBC, including its Panorama documentary team.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed in a Florida court last month, and the motion to dismiss was filed on Monday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.” – BBC spokesman
🎯IMPACT: The case has raised questions about media accountability and the legal jurisdiction of international broadcasters.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has filed a motion to dismiss President Donald J. Trump’s multi-billion dollar lawsuit over the deceptive editing of his January 6, 2021, aired during a Panorama documentary ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The lawsuit, filed in a Florida court last month, accuses the BBC of defamation and violating trade practices law.
Court documents filed on Monday reveal that the BBC contends the Florida court lacks “personal jurisdiction” over the broadcaster, that the venue is “improper,” and that President Trump has “failed to state a claim.” The BBC previously apologized for the edit but rejected Trump’s demands for compensation, maintaining there is no basis for a defamation claim.
The broadcaster will also contend that the Panorama program was not aired in the United States and therefore did not defame Trump in the jurisdiction in which he seeks relief. It further argues that Trump has not demonstrated actual damage caused by the documentary, noting that he was re-elected and carried Florida with a commanding majority after the Panorama program aired. Trump claims the documentary was available on the Britbox service and accessible to American viewers, which the BBC disputes.
Additionally, the BBC asserts that Trump cannot plausibly allege “actual malice” in the documentary’s publication. The doctored clip, which is approximately 15 seconds long, was part of an hour-long television program that, according to the broadcaster, offered a balanced portrayal of his 2024 re-election campaign. An internal BBC memo leaked in November criticized the editing of the speech, and the scandal surrounding it has led to the resignations of senior BBC officials, including Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness.
In its motion, the BBC has also requested the court to “stay all other discovery” pending a decision on its motion to dismiss. A proposed trial date in 2027 has been indicated if the case proceeds. A BBC spokesman stated, “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
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