By Stephen Simon
A United States federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Reuters reported that US Magistrate Judge Enjolique Lett issued the order during a court hearing on Thursday, following complaints by the BBC that Trump had delayed answering questions under oath.
Trump filed the lawsuit in Florida in December over the BBC’s editing of a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021.
His legal team alleges that the broadcaster misleadingly edited separate portions of the speech to make it appear that he had directed supporters to storm the US Capitol.
Trump had cancelled a deposition scheduled for October, citing conflicts with his presidential duties.
According to Reuters, a spokesman for Trump’s legal team said the lawsuit was intended to hold the broadcaster accountable for what he described as defamation and reckless election interference.
The case is among several legal actions Trump has pursued against media organisations over their coverage of him.
The latest ruling requires Trump to answer questions under oath, marking another significant development in the dispute between the US president and the publicly funded British broadcaster.
