US President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw a portion of his legal action against the BBC. According to newly filed legal documents, Trump has dropped his defamation claims against BBC Studios Distribution Limited and BBC Studios Productions Limited. However, he has maintained his lawsuit against the BBC’s public broadcasting division.
In the legal filings released on Thursday, it was stated that Trump has dismissed the claims against the commercial and production branches of the BBC. The documents further mentioned that the claims against the Studios Defendants have been dismissed with prejudice, as each party will cover its own costs and attorney fees.
Despite dropping some claims, Trump intends to pursue legal action against the British Broadcasting Corporation. The President alleged that the edited footage from a 2024 Panorama documentary, covering the 2021 US Capitol riots, negatively impacted his brand, properties, and businesses. He has filed a $10 billion lawsuit in a Florida court, accusing the filmmakers of deliberately manipulating the footage of his speech before the Capitol unrest.
Following the broadcast of the documentary, the BBC issued a formal apology for the misleading impression it created. Subsequently, Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, and Deborah Turness, the BBC’s head of news, resigned from their positions.
While Trump demanded compensation, the BBC’s legal team argued against the case, stating that there was insufficient evidence of the documentary being viewed in the US. The possibility of the US government joining the ongoing legal battle raises concerns about the disclosure of certain documents, including phone records and diary entries requested by the BBC’s lawyers.
Trump’s attorneys accused the BBC of conducting a “fishing expedition” by seeking financial information related to the President’s business interests. The BBC insisted on obtaining details from the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, managed by his son Donald Trump Jr., to assess the financial implications of the Panorama program. A trial date has been scheduled for February 2027 in Florida.