EXCLUSIVE: Trump and BBC Want Judge to Delay $10Billion Legal War as Prez Faces Deposition in Explosive Defamation Battle
Trump and the BBC are asking a judge to delay their $10billion legal battle.
Aug. 26 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Donald Trump and the BBC have jointly asked a federal judge to delay their blockbuster $10billion legal war – as the president himself remains in line to be deposed in the explosive defamation battle, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, attorneys for Trump and the British Broadcasting Corporation filed a joint motion on Wednesday, August 26, asking the court to extend several major pretrial deadlines and move the trial-ready date from February 15 to April 6, 2027.
Trump sued the BBC over a Panorama documentary that he claims deceptively edited portions of his January 6, 2021, speech, creating the false impression he directly urged supporters to march on the U.S. Capitol and "fight like h---." He claims the broadcast was defamatory and damaged his reputation.
Trump Deposition Looms
Trump remains in line to be deposed as the legal battle with the BBC heats up.
The request comes as both sides acknowledge that a significant amount of discovery remains unfinished, including a deposition of the president.
The filing lists several other witnesses whose testimony is still outstanding, including the editor of BBC Panorama, a producer of the documentary at the center of the lawsuit, and a White House aide who was present during the attack on the Capitol.
The White House aide has filed a motion seeking to quash the subpoena for her testimony. The two sides have already waged an extensive discovery battle.
More Witnesses Sought Out
A White House aide who was present during the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, is among the witnesses caught up in the ongoing discovery fight.
According to the filing, they have exchanged hundreds of written discovery requests, while the BBC has sought information from roughly 50 third parties.
Trump's attorneys have taken seven depositions of BBC witnesses, and the broadcaster has deposed Trump's expert witness and a fact witness who was at the Capitol on January 6. Tens of thousands of pages of documents have also been produced and reviewed.
But Trump's recently amended complaint has further complicated the case.
The 80-year-old added new allegations concerning why the BBC is allegedly subject to jurisdiction in Florida and why he claims the challenged statements were published with "actual malice."
Proposed Legal Schedule Details
Trump’s legal team says more time is needed to calculate the reputational damages he claims were caused by the BBC.
Trump also overhauled his damages theory, replacing alleged harm suffered by his businesses or brand with claims of reputational damages. His legal team now says Trump's expert witness needs additional time to quantify the president's damages and complete an accompanying expert report.
Both sides argue the existing deadlines will not provide enough time to adequately prepare for trial.
Under their proposed schedule, the expert-report deadline would move from September 2 to October 28, discovery would remain open until December 18, and mediation would be pushed into January. The trial-ready date would ultimately shift by roughly two months to April 6.
BBC Legal War Drags On
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Trump and the BBC are jointly asking the judge to push back the trial-ready date by roughly two months.
Trump and the BBC warned they would be "severely prejudiced" if the judge refuses their request because they would be deprived of the time needed to complete outstanding discovery and investigate the new allegations in Trump's amended complaint.
The filing also notes the pleadings are not yet closed, and the BBC has not yet set out any affirmative defenses it intends to raise against Trump.
The request marks the first time either side has sought to postpone the trial date.
A judge has not yet approved the proposed delay.
