Trump drops BBC's commercial arm from Panorama lawsuit, but main case remains
Donald Trump has dropped the commercial arm of the BBC from his defamation lawsuit regarding a Panorama documentary, though he continues to pursue the main BBC organization. The lawsuit centers on claims that the broadcaster deceptively edited a speech Trump gave on January 6, 2021.
Why it matters
This case tests the legal boundaries of media editing and defamation, particularly concerning high-profile political figures and international broadcasting standards.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Donald Trump accuses the BBC of "intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring" his 6 January 2021 speech
Donald Trump has removed the BBC's commercial arm from his defamation lawsuit over a controversial episode of Panorama, but the US president is still pursuing his multi-billion dollar claim against the BBC as a whole.
Last December, Trump sued the BBC and subsidiaries BBC Studios Productions and BBC Studios Distribution over a 2024 Panorama episode that edited together different sections of a speech he gave.
The BBC argued that the Studios companies had "no role in creating or producing the documentary, and did not broadcast it in the US".
A court filing on Thursday confirmed Trump's agreement that the claims against BBC Studios should be dismissed, but added: "President Trump shall continue prosecuting his causes of action against defendant British Broadcasting Corporation."
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