President Trump's legal team is maneuvering to delay his deposition in the defamation lawsuit against the BBC until January 2027, according to court filings made public this week. The move comes after the two sides had initially agreed to have the president testify this month, but Trump's attorneys later cited "other matters of national importance" to cancel the October 16 date.
In a filing submitted by the BBC's lawyers, the broadcaster said it had made multiple attempts over the summer to pin down a deposition date with Trump's counsel. After the October date was set, Trump's team notified the BBC that the president was no longer available, promising to propose a replacement date "by the end of this week," but never followed through, the filing states.
Then, last month, Trump's attorneys informed the BBC that the president "would make himself available for a deposition in the second or third week of January 2027," but again failed to provide a specific day. The BBC's legal team is now asking the court to compel a concrete schedule, arguing that the indefinite delay hampers their ability to prepare a defense.
The lawsuit stems from a BBC documentary examining Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his rhetoric before the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump's lawyers allege the broadcaster deceptively edited footage of his speech, omitting his call for supporters to march "peacefully and patriotically" to the Capitol. The BBC has apologized for the edit and removed several editorial leaders in the aftermath, but it continues to contest the defamation claim.
The BBC has sought to fight the lawsuit on multiple fronts, including asking the court earlier this year to allow subpoenas for Trump family members and access to his financial records as part of its legal defense. That request remains pending, and the deposition delay adds another layer of complexity to the case.
Legal observers note that pushing the deposition to January 2027—nearly two years away—could have strategic implications, especially as Trump remains a central figure in national politics. His schedule is often crowded with campaign events and other legal battles, as seen in his recent midterm campaign blitz that has overshadowed his economic messaging.
The BBC's filing emphasizes that the president's unavailability is not a sufficient reason to indefinitely postpone a court-ordered deposition. The broadcaster argues that a sitting president has testified in civil cases before, and that the January 2027 proposal is unreasonable given the case's timeline.
Meanwhile, Trump's legal team has not publicly commented on the filing, but they have previously signaled that the president's duties require flexibility. The case is being watched closely by media law experts, as it touches on the balance between presidential prerogatives and judicial proceedings.
As the dispute over the deposition date unfolds, the BBC continues to face scrutiny over its editorial decisions. The apology and leadership changes were seen as an attempt to mitigate the fallout, but the legal battle persists. The court is expected to rule on the BBC's motion to set a firm deposition date in the coming weeks, which could set a precedent for how high-profile defamation cases involving sitting presidents are handled.
For now, the ball is in the court's hands. If the judge sides with the BBC, Trump may have to sit for questioning sooner than his team hopes. If not, the case could drag on well into his current term, with the deposition looming in 2027.
