Trump’s £7.5billion defamation case against BBC can proceed, judge rules

A Florida judge has allowed Donald Trump’s £7.5 billion defamation case against the BBC to proceed, rejecting the broadcaster’s bid to have it dismissed. The decision means the claim will move to the next stage; it does not establish that Trump’s allegations are true.

The case concerns a 2024 Panorama documentary that edited parts of Trump’s speech before the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack, giving the impression he had urged violence. The judge said Trump had plausibly alleged reputational harm and presented evidence that could support a claim of actual malice. The BBC previously apologised for an “error of judgment”; a separate unfair-trade-practices claim was dismissed, and the BBC must respond by 1 December.