BBC seeks dismissal of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over edited January 6 speech – Firstpost

The BBC has said it will seek dismissal of US President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over the editing of a speech broadcast in one of its programmes, arguing that a Florida court lacks jurisdiction and that Trump cannot demonstrate any actual damage, Reuters reported.

In a filing late on Monday, the publicly funded broadcaster said the programme was not broadcast in Florida, weakening the basis for the court to hear the case. It also noted that Trump was re-elected after the documentary aired, undercutting his claim of harm.

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Allegations over January 6 speech

Trump has accused the BBC of defamation, alleging that it misleadingly edited portions of his January 6, 2021 speech to suggest he incited supporters to storm the US Capitol.

According to the lawsuit, the edited clip spliced together remarks in which Trump urged supporters to march on the Capitol and to “fight like hell”, while omitting a passage where he called for peaceful protest.

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Legal claims and damages sought

The lawsuit alleges that the BBC violated a Florida law banning deceptive and unfair trade practices. Trump is seeking at least $5 billion in damages for each of the two counts in the complaint.

BBC seeks pause in discovery

While the BBC has apologised for the editing used in its Panorama documentary, it has stated it will contest the lawsuit in court.

In its filing, the broadcaster argued that Trump could not plausibly show the programme was published with “actual malice”, a key requirement in US defamation cases involving public figures.

The BBC mentioned it would formally move to dismiss the complaint and asked the court to stay the discovery phase while that motion is pending. Discovery allows both sides to obtain evidence from each other.

Engaging in full discovery at this stage, the BBC mentioned, would impose “considerable burdens and costs” that would be unnecessary if the case is thrown out.

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Claim of no provable damage

“As the plaintiff has failed to plead actual damages, claiming only vague harm to his professional and occupational interests, his claim fails,” the BBC noted in its filing.

The BBC is funded through a mandatory licence fee paid by television-watching households in the UK.

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