Trump Scrambles To Block Jack Smith Testimony as $10 Billion BBC Lawsuit Backfires

Donald Trump faces mounting pressure in his $10 billion (£7.5 billion) legal battle against the BBC, as a judge threatens sanctions over his deposition dispute and the broadcaster seeks testimony from former special counsel Jack Smith.

The president is suing the British Broadcasting Corporation over a documentary that he claims deceptively edited his 6 January 2021 speech to suggest he incited the Capitol riot. But the BBC is fighting back, demanding evidence to challenge Trump's allegations while opposing his efforts to block Smith's testimony.

The clash has put Trump's own participation in the case under scrutiny, raising fresh questions about how he can pursue billions in damages while resisting the broadcaster's attempts to gather evidence.

Judge Threatens Trump With Sanctions

US Magistrate Judge Enjolique A. Lett warned on 16 October that Trump could face sanctions if he continued to fail to comply with the court's orders regarding his deposition.

'Going forward, the court expects strict compliance with its order, the failure of which will lead to sanctions,' Lett wrote in a Miami court order, according to Bloomberg Law. That order imposed no sanctions, but the warning raised the stakes in the dispute.

The BBC says it had sought dates for Trump's deposition since July. The two sides eventually agreed on 16 October, but Trump's lawyers later said he was unavailable because of 'other matters of national importance'.

According to the BBC's court filing, Trump's team later proposed dates in the second or third week of January 2027, after the 18 December discovery deadline.

The broadcaster also pointed to Trump's appearance at a campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia, on 16 October, followed by a Republican National Committee fundraising event at Mar-a-Lago. The BBC has asked the court to compel Trump to confirm a date and answer questions under oath.

Why Trump Wants To Block Jack Smith's Testimony

The separate dispute over Smith could give the BBC another avenue to challenge Trump's account of events surrounding the Capitol attack.

In a court filing on 19 October, the broadcaster argued that Smith could possess evidence relevant to Trump's state of mind when he addressed supporters before the riot. Smith led the investigation into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Trump's lawyers argue that Smith lacks first-hand knowledge of the speech, was not involved in preparing it, and would rely on evidence gathered from others and other sources. They also contend that Smith has already testified publicly about his investigation.

The BBC's lawyers strongly rejected those arguments, saying they could not withstand scrutiny. They maintain that Smith's public report does not include all the evidence collected during his investigation and that the broadcaster needs a fair opportunity to defend itself.

Smith is not objecting to the subpoena, according to TheWrap. Whether the court will permit the deposition, and what evidence may ultimately be used, remains unresolved.

The $10 Billion BBC Defamation Dispute

Trump filed the lawsuit in December 2025 over the BBC's Panorama documentary, 'Trump: A Second Chance?', which aired before the 2024 presidential election.

The controversy centres on the programme's editing of his 6 January 2021 speech. The programme spliced together separate portions of the address, including remarks about walking to the Capitol and fighting 'like hell'.

The BBC acknowledged that the edit created the mistaken impression that Trump had directly called for violent action and apologised. It nevertheless denies that the documentary defamed him.

Trump is seeking $5 billion in defamation damages and another $5 billion under Florida's unfair and deceptive trade practices law.

The BBC has sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing in part that the documentary was not distributed in the United States and that Trump cannot establish the required reputational harm.

The BBC's apology has not settled the legal dispute. The court must still assess Trump's claims and the broadcaster's arguments.

What Happens Next?

A hearing on Trump's deposition dispute was scheduled for 22 October 2026. The court's handling of the BBC's request to question Smith will also matter as discovery continues.

For Trump, the challenge is to prove his allegations while responding to requests for evidence. For the BBC, the priority is to defend its journalism and obtain material it says is necessary to contest the lawsuit.

The Trump-BBC lawsuit sanctions dispute has become a high-stakes clash over sworn testimony, discovery, and the evidence needed to establish each side's case.

With the judge warning of possible sanctions and the BBC pressing to question Smith, Trump's $10 billion lawsuit is facing a critical test, even as the ultimate outcome remains undecided.