Donald Trump’s lawyers are attempting to block the BBC from obtaining the US president’s financial records as part of his $10 billion defamation case against the broadcaster.
Trump is seeking substantial damages in a Florida court over the editing of a Panorama documentary from 2024 about the US Capitol riots. The documentary has faced criticism for giving the impression that the president had encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol building on January 6, 2021, after he lost the election to Joe Biden. Trump alleges the Panorama episode, broadcast shortly before the presidential election he won, caused him reputational and financial injury.
The BBC is requesting financial records from the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, which holds the president’s business interests and assets and is managed by his eldest son. In doing so, it is seeking to determine the extent of the financial damage it allegedly caused Trump with the broadcast. In legal documents, the BBC’s lawyers rejected claims of a “fishing expedition.”
“Defendants have requested information from these entities only because plaintiff alleges without limitation that his financial interests have been impacted by defendants’ actions and because plaintiff is the sole beneficiary of a trust that owns or is associated with nearly 400 entities,” the court papers said. However, in the same legal documents, the trust, which is also represented by Trump’s lawyers, argued the BBC’s demand “is premature, improper, and especially burdensome.”
They added: “Although plaintiff has alleged that his businesses have suffered damages as a result of the documentary, that alone does not give defendants carte-blanche to obtain sweeping financial discovery from hundreds of non-parties.”
Both sides are seeking a court ruling on the dispute. However, as first reported by the Financial Times, Trump’s legal team has requested a delay pending the outcome of a request for a new judge in the matter, which the BBC opposes.
They claim in separate court papers that magistrate judge Enjolique Lett’s “prior representation of a client that was directly adverse to president Trump creates an appearance of impropriety.”
The BBC’s lawyers said: “The impetus for plaintiff’s request appears to be the flat refusal by the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, a third party that is represented by the same counsel as plaintiff, to provide any financial information under subpoena, despite plaintiff’s claims that the defendants injured ‘the value of his brand, properties, and businesses.'”
The allegations led then BBC director-general Tim Davie to announce his resignation. BBC chairman Samir Shah apologised on behalf of the broadcaster over an “error of judgment” and accepted that the editing of the programme gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
However, the broadcaster is seeking to have the case thrown out, warning of the “chilling effect” it would have on “robust reporting on public figures and events.” It has also challenged the jurisdiction of a Florida court to hear the case, given that the programme was never aired in the state or anywhere in the US.
