US judge rejects BBC bid to dismiss Trump defamation suit - EWN

WASHINGTON - A federal judge allowed US President Donald Trump's multi-billion dollar defamation suit against the BBC to proceed on Tuesday, rejecting a bid by the British broadcaster to dismiss the case.

Trump has accused the BBC of deceptively editing a documentary to make it seem as if he was inciting violence when he told supporters to march on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

He has sought at least $5 billion each for one claim of defamation and a separate claim under a Florida consumer protection law.

US District Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz rejected the BBC's bid to dismiss the defamation suit, but tossed the Florida protection law claim.

"Whether President Trump can prove these claims and establish he sustained damages at summary judgment or trial is left for another day," Kuntz wrote in a 40-page ruling.

The BBC documentary at issue spliced together two separate sections of Trump's speech on January 6, 2021, making it appear that he had explicitly urged supporters to attack the US Capitol.

While the BBC has apologized for the incident, which prompted the resignation of multiple senior executives, the broadcaster has denied it caused Trump any real injury.