Donald Trump is facing a significant financial investigation due to his dispute with the BBC, as his legal team resists the probe. Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the UK broadcaster, alleging manipulation of footage in a 2024 Panorama documentary about the 2021 US Capitol riots. The lawsuit accuses the filmmakers of deliberately altering footage of his speech before the Capitol breach.

In response, Trump’s lawyers are challenging the BBC’s request for financial information related to a trust holding his business interests. The BBC argues that the details from the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, overseen by his son Donald Trump Jr., are crucial to assessing the financial impact of the documentary.

Legal documents reveal a disagreement over the request, with Trump’s lawyers calling it premature and burdensome. Both sides are awaiting a court ruling on the matter, with Trump’s team also seeking a new judge. The BBC refutes Trump’s claims of reputational and financial harm caused by the documentary, stating it was not available for viewing in the US.

Despite the controversy, the BBC has faced backlash, leading to an apology from former director general Tim Davie and concerns about the lawsuit’s impact on media reporting. The broadcaster is striving to dismiss the case to safeguard robust reporting on public figures and events.