A Florida court has scheduled February 2027 as the trial date for US President Donald Trump’s multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuit against the BBC, according to newly released court documents.
The trial, expected to last two weeks, will take place in Miami. The development follows a judge’s decision to reject the BBC’s request to delay the discovery process in the case.
Discovery is the pre-trial phase during which both sides exchange relevant documents and evidence.
The judge ruled that the broadcaster’s request to pause the process was “premature.”
Trump is suing the BBC over the editing of a Panorama programme, alleging that two sections of a speech were cut together in a way that made it appear he had directly encouraged supporters to storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
His legal team has described the edit as “false and defamatory.”
The president is seeking up to $10 billion (£7.5 billion) in damages.
The BBC has previously apologised for the edit but rejected Trump’s demand for compensation and disputed the legal basis for both the defamation and trade practices claims.
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
Court filings indicate the BBC plans to submit a motion to dismiss the case by March 17, 2026, arguing that the Florida court lacks personal jurisdiction, that the venue is improper, and that Trump has failed to state a valid claim.
The judge’s latest order does not affect the broadcaster’s planned motion to dismiss.
