US President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw a portion of his legal action against the BBC. New court filings on Thursday revealed that Trump has dropped his defamation claims against BBC Studios Distribution Limited and BBC Studios Productions Limited. However, he has maintained his lawsuit against the public broadcaster, only dismissing claims against its commercial and production divisions. The legal documents state that the claims against the Studios Defendants have been dismissed with prejudice, with each party responsible for its own costs and attorney fees.
Trump will proceed with his legal action against the British Broadcasting Corporation, alleging that an edited 2024 Panorama documentary negatively impacted his brand, properties, and businesses. The lawsuit, seeking $10 billion in damages, was filed in a Florida court. Trump accuses the filmmakers of intentionally altering footage of his speech on January 6, 2021, before his supporters breached the US Capitol building.
In response, the BBC apologized for the misleading impression created by the documentary, which aired a week before the US election. Following the revelations, the BBC’s director-general, Tim Davie, and head of news, Deborah Turness, resigned from their positions.
The BBC has rejected Trump’s compensation demands, arguing that there is no evidence the Panorama special was widely viewed in the US. The US government is contemplating joining the ongoing litigation, potentially leading to the withholding of requested documents, such as phone records and diary entries, citing executive privilege and national security risks. Trump’s legal team accused the BBC of conducting a “fishing expedition” by seeking financial information related to the President’s business holdings.
The BBC’s lawyers assert that details from the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, overseen by his son Donald Trump Jr., are crucial to assessing the financial ramifications of the Panorama program. A trial date has been scheduled for February 2027 in Florida.