The British Broadcasting Corporation has filed a motion to dismiss U.S. president Donald Trump’s $5 billion (€4.28 billion) defamation lawsuit over a Panorama documentary that misrepresented his January 6th, 2021, speech. The broadcaster edited the president’s remarks, leading to the false impression that he encouraged violence during the Capitol events.
The U.S. president said he would seek “anywhere between $1 billion and $5 billion” in damages, insisting that the BBC’s apology did not go far enough.
Court documents submitted on Monday, January 13th argue that the Florida court lacks “personal jurisdiction” over the BBC, that the venue is “improper,” and that Trump “failed to state a claim.” The BBC maintains that the programme was not aired in the United States and that the edit did not defame the President.
The broadcaster also asserts that Trump has not proven any actual damage, noting that he won re-election in Florida with a commanding majority after the programme aired.
The programme—aired a week before the 2024 U.S. presidential election—showed Trump telling the crowd he would march to the Capitol to “fight like hell.” In reality, the President had said he would walk with supporters “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” The misrepresentation, revealed in a November 2025 leaked internal memo, led to the resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness.
The court has also been asked “to stay all other discovery” (i.e. the pre-trial exchange of evidence) until a decision is made on the dismissal motion. Should the case proceed, a trial is proposed for 2027. A BBC spokesperson reiterated that the corporation will defend the case but will not comment further on ongoing legal proceedings.
