President Trump's attorneys are asking to postpone his deposition in the defamation lawsuit against the BBC until January 2027, according to a court filing made public this week. The move comes after the two sides had initially agreed that Trump would sit for testimony in mid-October.
In the filing, lawyers for the BBC state that they made multiple attempts over the summer to schedule a mutually convenient date for the deposition. After reaching an agreement for October 16, Trump's team abruptly notified the BBC that the president was "no longer available" due to "other matters of national importance," promising to provide a replacement date by the end of that week—but never did.
Then, in late September, Trump's attorneys indicated that the president would be available for a deposition "in the second or third week of January 2027," but they did not specify a concrete date. The BBC's legal team argues that this proposed timeline is unreasonable and would unduly delay the case.
The lawsuit stems from a BBC documentary about Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his rhetoric leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump claims the outlet defamed him by deceptively editing footage of his speech that day, omitting his call for supporters to march "peacefully and patriotically" to the Capitol.
The BBC has apologized for the edit and parted ways with several editorial leaders in the aftermath. However, the broadcaster is fighting the defamation claim, and earlier this year it asked the court for permission to subpoena Trump family members and examine his financial records as part of its defense.
Legal experts say the request to delay until 2027 is unusual, given that the case has already been pending for years. "This looks like a classic delay tactic," said one former federal prosecutor, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Courts generally frown on such long postponements, especially when the plaintiff is the one seeking them."
The development is the latest twist in a contentious legal battle that has drawn attention to the intersection of media and presidential power. The BBC's push to obtain Trump's financial records and testimony from his relatives suggests a aggressive defense strategy, even as the network has acknowledged the editing error.
Trump has ramped up his criticism of the BBC in recent months, calling the outlet "fake news" and vowing to hold it accountable. His legal team has not commented publicly on the filing, but the delay request is consistent with a pattern of seeking to push back legal proceedings in various cases.
The court has not yet ruled on the BBC's request to compel the deposition or on Trump's proposed January 2027 timeline. A hearing is expected in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the case continues to unfold against the backdrop of broader political tensions, including Trump's recent questioning of Iran negotiating partners and his midterm campaign blitz.
If the court grants the delay, it would mark a significant setback for the BBC's efforts to resolve the case promptly. But legal observers note that judges often push back on such requests, especially when they appear designed to stall. The outcome could have implications for how defamation cases involving public figures are handled in the future.
