Donald Trump's lawyers call BBC's Panorama defence 'untenable'

Donald Trump's lawyers call BBC's Panorama defence 'untenable'

Donald Trump’s legal team has strongly criticized the BBC’s defense arguments in a US court filing related to his multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuit. They described parts of the BBC’s response as “untenable,” “misplaced,” and “unpersuasive” in regard to claims surrounding a Panorama documentary that featured an edited version of Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech. This case has attracted attention as it involves how the footage was presented and its impact.

The BBC previously requested a delay in the discovery phase of the lawsuit, which is the process where both parties exchange relevant evidence and documents. The broadcaster argued that discovery should be postponed until the court rules on their anticipated motion to dismiss the case by March 17. However, Trump’s lawyers opposed this request, emphasizing that the court in Florida maintains a strict standard for pausing discovery and that delaying it would be premature at this stage.

According to Trump’s legal team, the BBC’s arguments so far simply consist of denials and speculative claims about the evidence Trump may or may not provide later in the case. They stated, “That is not a ‘clear indication’ that the complaint must be dismissed in its entirety with prejudice, and provides no basis to impose the extraordinary remedy of a discovery stay.” Meanwhile, the BBC has argued in court documents that the Florida court lacks “personal jurisdiction” over the broadcaster, that the venue is “improper,” and that Trump’s complaint fails to state a valid legal claim.

Trump’s lawyers countered that the BBC’s programme, titled *Trump: A Second Chance?*, was accessible to viewers in Florida ahead of the 2024 presidential election, supporting the relevance of the Florida court’s jurisdiction. The BBC declined to comment further on the ongoing legal proceedings, reiterating their commitment to defend the case and noting that all court documents are publicly available. Although the BBC has apologized for the Panorama edit, it has rejected Trump’s demands for compensation and denied that the case meets the criteria for defamation or trade practices violations. If the lawsuit continues, a trial date has been tentatively scheduled for 2027

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