Trump Drops Part of $10 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC
President Donald Trump has voluntarily dismissed part of his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The claims dropped were against BBC Studios Distribution Limited and BBC Studios Productions Limited, the broadcaster's commercial and production entities. This move, filed with prejudice, means each party will bear its own legal costs and attorney fees.
The lawsuit, originally filed in December 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, seeks $10 billion in damages. Trump alleges $5 billion for defamation and another $5 billion for violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The case centers on a BBC Panorama documentary titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” which Trump claims was edited to misleadingly portray his January 6, 2021, speech as inciting violence.
Despite the partial dismissal, Trump continues his legal battle against the BBC itself. The broadcaster has apologized for any misleading impression created by the documentary but maintains that the lawsuit lacks a legal basis. The BBC has challenged the case on jurisdictional grounds, arguing that the documentary was not distributed in the U.S. and that there is insufficient evidence of actual malice.
The case is being heard by Judge Roy K. Altman in Florida, with a trial tentatively scheduled for early 2027. Procedural motions and discovery are ongoing, as the defendants had filed motions to dismiss earlier this year.