THE GUARDIAN: Corporation will argue it did not have rights to air film in US and it did not cause serious reputational harm
The BBC is preparing to argue Donald Trump’s $10bn court case against it should be dismissed, arguing it has no case to answer over the US president’s claims he was defamed by an episode of Panorama.
The development comes after Trump filed a 33-page complaint to a Florida court on Monday, accusing the broadcaster of “a false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory and malicious depiction” of the president in the documentary.
On Tuesday, the BBC said it would defend itself over the suit. It is understood that the corporation is likely to argue that it did not have the rights to air the documentary in the US, and that the case should therefore be dismissed.
The move is an attempt to see the lawsuit off before litigation costs mount. It will be greeted with relief by supporters of the BBC who have argued that its editorial independence would be called into question if it sought to settle. » | Michael Savage, Media editor | Tuesday, December 16, 2025
