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What is Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit and why is the BBC seeking its dismissal?
Trump has accused the BBC of defaming him by selectively editing his speech in a way that suggested he encouraged violence.
British public broadcaster, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), will file a motion to dismiss US President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit, which alleges that the news portal edited a speech to make it appear that Trump encouraged supporters to storm the US Capitol.
The broadcasters argued that the case does not belong in Florida and that the claims of harm are not substantiated, Reuters reported.
In a court filing submitted late on Monday, the British broadcaster said the Florida court does not have the authority to hear the case, as the programme in question was not broadcast in the state. It also argued that Trump cannot show he suffered damage, noting that he was re-elected after the documentary aired.
The lawsuit centres on a BBC Panorama programme that included edited clips from Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech, delivered shortly before his supporters stormed the US Capitol.
What is the controversy about?
Trump has accused the BBC of defaming him by selectively editing his speech in a way that suggested he encouraged violence. The edited footage combined a moment where he told supporters to march towards the Capitol with his statement to “fight like hell”.
According to the lawsuit, the programme left out a key section of the speech in which Trump urged the crowd to protest peacefully. His legal team claims this editing gave a misleading impression and damaged his reputation.
Trump has filed the case under a Florida law that bans deceptive and unfair trade practices. He is seeking at least $5 billion in damages for each of the two counts listed in the lawsuit.
Why the BBC apologised
The BBC has apologised for the editing which appeared on its Panorama documentary programme. However, the broadcaster has maintained that the error does not amount to defamation and has said it will contest the lawsuit in court.
In its latest filing, the BBC argued that Trump cannot show the programme was produced with “actual malice.”
Along with its plan to file a motion to dismiss, the BBC has asked the court to pause the discovery process. This phase allows both sides to demand documents and other evidence from each other.
The broadcaster said allowing wide-ranging discovery while a dismissal motion is pending would place “considerable burdens and costs” on the defendants, which may prove unnecessary if the motion is granted.
“As Plaintiff failed to plead actual damages, claiming only vague ‘harm to his professional and occupational interests,’ his claim fails,” Reuters quoted lines from the BBC filing.
The BBC is funded through a mandatory licence fee paid by households that watch television in the UK.
(With inputs from Reuters)
