Judge Orders Trump to Sit for Deposition in BBC Defamation Lawsuit

By EC Assets · Published 22 October 2026

A federal judge on Thursday ordered Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The decision requires Trump to submit to sworn questioning as part of the formal evidentiary proceedings. In issuing the order, the judge threatened to dismiss the multi-billion-dollar legal action entirely unless Trump cooperates with the discovery process and provides his testimony. The legal battle centers on a $10 billion, or £7.5 billion, claim filed by Trump against the British Broadcasting Corporation. Prior to the court order, Trump had insisted that he was too busy to give evidence in the case. The federal court rejected efforts to postpone the proceedings, establishing December 11 as the firm deadline for Trump to give his deposition under oath. The court made clear that participation in the pre-trial discovery process is mandatory for the litigation to proceed. The judge explicitly threatened to throw out Trump's case against the BBC if the required deposition does not take place within the designated timeline. The legal mandate leaves the lawsuit vulnerable to immediate termination if discovery obligations are not met. The court order concerning the BBC adds to a growing slate of legal disputes surrounding Trump. In a separate legal matter, a lawsuit accuses Trump of illegally profiting from foreign cryptocurrency transactions. That litigation directly targets his financial dealings, placing additional scrutiny on his commercial operations alongside his high-profile defamation battle. The judicial ruling comes at a time of mounting domestic and international strains for Trump. An economic survey indicated that Trump's approval rating on the economy has dropped to an all-time low as midterm elections approach. In global commodities, Brent crude oil prices surged above $111 per barrel after Trump hinted at imminent action regarding Iran, a development that coincided with the United States ordering personnel to depart Saudi Arabia. International relations involving Trump's political network have faced controversy as well. Spain accused Trump ally Javier Milei of disgraceful election interference during a dispute between the two governments. At the same time, volatile macroeconomic conditions continue to affect institutional investors across global financial markets, where the world's largest sovereign wealth fund recorded a $30 billion loss following widespread turbulence in the bond market. The crucial milestone for the defamation litigation is the court-mandated deadline of December 11. Legal observers will watch whether Trump complies with the judicial directive to sit for the deposition or whether continued delays during the discovery process prompt the judge to dismiss the $10 billion claim against the BBC. This article is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice.