Trump lawyers refuse to reveal financial information to BBC in defamation case

Request for evidence to support claims of reputational and financial harm from Panorama documentary dismissed as ‘fishing expedition’

Donald Trump’s legal team has rejected a request by the BBC to hand over financial information as part of his $10bn defamation case against the broadcaster.

The US president’s lawyers accused the BBC of a “fishing expedition”, according to court filings, after the broadcaster’s representatives asked for details to get evidence on Trump’s claims he suffered reputational and financial damage by a Panorama documentary centred on the US Capitol riots.

Trump accused the BBC of “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring” a speech he gave on 6 January 2021, before the unrest in Washington in which thousands marched and break into the US Congress.

The BBC had spliced together two parts of a speech made by Trump, as part of the documentary broadcast in October 2024.

Four people died on the day, with five police officers dying afterwards, including from suicide.

According to the court documents lodged in Miami, Florida, in May , the BBC had asked for financial papers on the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, which holds the president’s business interests and assets.

Lawyers had asked for records that would show its income, assets, and properties held.

It also listed hundreds of companies that fall under the trust’s remit.

In response Trump’s Florida-based lawyers Brito PLLC said the request was “disproportionate” and “encompasses individuals and entities that have no connection to the issues in dispute”.

They added it amounted to “tens of thousands of documents” within 30 days, adding the timeframe was “unreasonable … and improper”.

It accused the BBC of a “textbook fishing expedition”.

Filings in May showed Trump’s legal team had made 503 requests for documents, and the BBC had turned over 45,000 pages in return. Meanwhile, Trump had produced none.

The dispute centres over a broadcast of the BBC’s flagship documentary series on the Capitol riots.

A clip in the broadcast suggested Trump told the crowd: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell.”

However, the words were taken from separate parts of his speech almost an hour apart. The BBC later retracted it and apologised, saying it would not be shown again .

Trump’s lawyers have previously argued the BBC’s documentary caused him “direct harm” to his “brand, properties and business”.

In March the BBC asked a US court to throw out the lawsuit as it would have a “chilling effect” on its reporting of the president.

In court filings it denied it had damaged his reputation as it aired shortly before his re-election, and was not shown in the US. BBC lawyers argued as it was not broadcast in the US, or in Florida, the court had no jurisdiction to hear the case.

The Financial Times reported that the Trump team had attempted to delay the case and requested a change in judge.

In a statement to the FT, a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team said the BBC had “intentionally and maliciously defamed” the president “by distorting and manipulating his speech”.

“No amount of attempted legal manoeuvres can change that fact,” the spokesperson added. “President Trump will continue to hold accountable the BBC and all those who traffic in fake news.”