Trump lawyers deny BBC access to financial details in $10-billion lawsuit, FT says
US President Donald Trumpโs legal team has refused to hand over financial information sought by BBC lawyers in his $10 billion defamation case against the broadcaster, the Financial Times (FT) said on Friday, citing court filings. Trump has accused the publicly funded broadcaster of defaming him by splicing together parts of a January 6, 2021, speech to make it appear that he directed supporters to storm the US Capitol. The impetus for Trumpโs request to delay โappears to be the flat refusal by the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust โฆ to provide any financial information under subpoenaโ, the newspaper cited the BBC as saying in a court filing. That action came despite Trumpโs claims that the BBC injured โthe value of his brand, properties, and businessesโ and the presidentโs โown refusal to date to provide any financial information in discoveryโ, the paper added. Trumpโs lawsuit, filed in Florida in December, says the BBC violated a state law that bars deceptive and unfair trade practices. He is seeking damages of at least $5bn on each of its two counts. The broadcaster and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Trumpโs legal team told the newspaper the BBC was liable for โintentionally and maliciously defaming him by distorting and manipulating his speechโ. In a statement, the spokesperson added, โPresident Trump will continue to hold accountable the BBC and all those who traffic in fake news.โ Trust managed by Trumpโs eldest son In its bid to ascertain the documentaryโs financial impact, the BBC has subpoenaed the trust, managed by Trumpโs eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, as the sole trustee, which holds the presidentโs business interests and assets, the paper said. The BBC legal team has sought financial documents that reflect the trustโs holdings and value, assets, inventories and properties, the paper added, citing court filings from May that it viewed. The request covers almost 400 entities owned by or associated with the trust, as well as requests for tax returns, the paper said. The documentary, first broadcast in 2024 shortly before a presidential election Trump won, featured a section in which he told supporters to march on the Capitol and another, from nearly an hour later, where he said, โFight like hell.โ The BBC apologised to Trump for the edit, but wants his lawsuit thrown out. Trumpโs subsequent reelection showed the alleged defamation did not harm his reputation, the broadcaster said in court papers released in March.